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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The 
to  t 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 
D 
D 

n 

D 
D 

n 


n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagee 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6e  et/ou  pellicul^e 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relie  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  dune  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  ^tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  et6  film^es. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquis  ci-dessous. 


□ 


D 
D 
□ 


Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pellicul^et 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d^color^es,  tachetees  ou  piqu^es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d^tach^es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Quality  inegale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comorend  du  materiel  supplementaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  film6es  ci  nouveau  de  facon  i 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


The 
pos 
oft 
film 


Orij 
beg 
the 
sioi 
oth 
firs 
sioi 
or  i 


The 
sha 
TIN 
whi 

Ma 
diff 
ent 
beg 
rigf 
req 
me 


D 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppleme.itaires. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film^  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 

18X  22X 


10X 


14X 


26X 


SOX 


7 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


ills 

JU 

difier 

jne 

lage 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  the  Public 
Archives  of  Canada 

The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grdce  A  la 
g6n6rosit6  de: 

La  bibliothdque  des  Archives 
publiques  du  Canada 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimde  sont  filmds  en  commen^ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — »>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED "),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END  "), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  §tre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichd,  il  est  filmd  d  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


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NEWFOUNDLAND  to   MANITOBA 


THKOUOFI 


CANADA'S  MARITIME.  MINING,  AND  I'RAIKIE   PROVINCES 


HV 


W.    FRASER    RAE 


WITH    MAI'S    AND   ILLI'STRATIONS 


NEW      YORK 


G .     I?  .     I'  U  T  N  A  M  ■  S    SOX 

27    AND    29    WT'.ST    23D    SIRLKT 
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rilEFACE. 


T  visiTKO  nnd  described  the  Provinco  of  ^raiiitoLa  and  a 
])iirt  111'  tlic  Now  West  in  tho  United  Statos,  as  a  Cori'c- 
spondcnt  of  The  Times,  (lman<if  tlio  sutnnicr  and  autiinin 
of  iSl^i.  Last  aiitninn  and  winter  I  visited  Newfound- 
land, landed  on  tlio  North  American  continent, journeyed 
acroaa  it  from  Halifax  on  tho  Atlantic  Ocean  to  llajiid 
City  on  tho  Littlo  Saskatchewan  River,  and  athwart  it 
from  the  Red  River  of  tliu  North  in  Miuiitoba  to  tho  l»io 
(iraiule  in  New  Mexico.  Letters  contrihuteil  to  ^J'lie 
Times,  during  both  visits,  are  reprinted  in  tho  following 
])agos.  All  of  these  letters  have  boon  carefully  revised; 
some  hav«  been  recast,  while  tho  contents  of  many  ])ages 
now  appear  for  tho  first  time.  Tho  Province  of  British 
Columbia  is  the  only  important  section  of  the  Dominion 
which  is  not  treated  in  this  work. 

1  purpose  reproducing  in  another  volume  my  oxporionccs 
and  observations  in  those  States  and  Tei-ritories  of  tho 
Union  which  constitute  the  renuu-kablo  New  West, 
extending  from  the  Tei-ritory  of  Dakota  to  tho  Territory  of 
Kew  Mexico,  and  from  tho  State  of  Kansas  to  the  Territory 
of  Wyoming. 

"Whiht  gratefully  ackr.owledging  my  indebtedness  to 
many  Caiuidians  lor  great  courtesy  and  attention,  I  must 
return  special  thnnks  for  the  information  and  aid  which  I 
received  from  Mr.  John  Lowe,  Secretary  to  the  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture  at  Ottawa,  and  ^Ir.  William  Hespeler, 
Dominion  Immigration  Agent  at  Winnipeg.  Mr.  Hespeler 
is  one  of  the  many  cultured  dernians  who  have  nuido 
Cai^ada  their  home,  who  do  credit  to  tho  country  of  their 
birth,  and  who  render  geuuino  and  patriotic  service  to 
the  laud  of  their  adoption. 


I 


CONTEXTS. 


crrApTKR  I. 

England's  oldest  colony. 


Earliest  Xotiooa  of  Xowfoun.lliind , 

J'ro.liicts  (.(tho  Lslaaa    . 

Kich  ill  Minerals     .         .         ]         ' 

Sir  Hmn|)hrey(Jill,ort'HMisHioa     ', 
Danii'l  uiscovtTs  Silver 
Kt'sult  of  iMiiieral  Discoveries"        [ 
Whit  bourne's  Account    .         ,        ' 
First  Colonists 
Laws  of  Charles  T. 
Sett  lenient  hnpodod 
Condition  of  the  Fishermen 
Increase  of  I'auperism 
Kespousihle  Government  granted 
Views  of  the  Islanders    . 
The  Capital  of  Newfoundland        ! 
rubhc  Buildings     . 
Legislative  Assembly      .'         * 
The  Soil  and  Climiito      .*        * 
Kewfoundland  Railway  .         ] 
Agricultural  Prospects    .         \ 
Ol)position  to  a  Railway         ] 
Newspaper  Press     .         .         ,         ' 
Notes  on  Newspapers 
Compulsory  Education    .         ', 
Principal  Imports  ..,*.* 
Mines  and  Mining .         .         ,*        ' 
French  Claims         .'.!*, 
Fish,  Game,  and  Doo-s    .        [ 


CIIArTER  ir. 

rvu     -n  ■,  .  '^"'^   ^'^^'"   ^^'  ^"^   "  BI^UE   NOSES. 

i  he  Founder  of  Nova  Scotia 

1he'«NationaIl'olicy" 

"Old  Fossils"        /     .        *        •        •        • 

Gold-Minea     . 


PlOR 

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5 

7 

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17 
1!) 
21 
2:] 

27 

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45 

47 
4.!> 
51 

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61 
CI] 
65 
6? 


Mil 


Contents, 


Nova  Pcotiiin  Collicriog.  • 

Siciicrv  iiinl  (Miiiiiito       .  • 

The  ('ii|>it,il  (it  Nova  Scotia  • 

lliililiix    ll(i^-|iit:ilit V         .  • 

Ciuvcruor  ArcliibalJ         ,  . 


PAfiK 

(i!> 

.        71 

.        73 

rf. 

1        i'i 

.       77 

CHAn'Kii  iir. 

THE    T'KOVINCK    OK   MCW    JUIUXSWICK, 

The  riiiiiiins  niitl  New  Urauswick 81 

KoMnil:iti(iii  of  St.  John 83 

Now  Di'iiiiiark           .••#•#..•  85 

The  St.  John  Uivor 87 

('Imvclics  i'l  Frt'ilt'ricton          ..••...  8i) 

lit  ii(l(|Miirtt'is  (if  the  Intercolonial Dl 

A  Forest  on  Fire 03 

New  UninswieU  Laud  Laws 05 

Cultlc*lleurin<r t;7 

CITAITKR  TV. 

riUXCK    KDWAKD    ISLAND. 

Oysters,  l\riiol»erel,  .nnd  Lobstera •  101 

Yiehl  and  price  of  Potatoes 103 

lliyhlaiid  Setthn-s 105 

Siilidivision  of  the  Land 107 

L mdlords  and  Tenants 109 

Stdtlenient  of  the  Land  Qnestion Ill 

Siininierside    .         .         .         .....••  113 

("hiirlottetown  and  its  Siihnrhs 11.1 

Governor  John  iieady's  Administration         •        •         •        •  117 

CIIArTER  V. 

IXTKRC'OI/INIAL,   GRAND    TRUNK,   AND   NORTHERN   KAILAVAYS. 

Intercolonial:   Origin  aud  Character 121 

Workshojia  at  JMonoton 123 

Scenery  along  the  Line 125 

Newcastle       ..........  127 

]\Ir.  Justice  Henry 129 

]\fr.  Hio'v'son's  Mauiigement  of  Grand  Truidi  .         .         .         .  131 

Glnt  oi  Tiiitlic 133 

]\Iii;^coka  Lakes      .         .         .         • 135 

Future  Pruf-pects  of  Northern  Railway 137 

CHAPTER  TI. 

ACROSS   LAKE    SUPERIOR. 

The  North  Shore  Route 139 

A  Landlord's  Career      .•...•••  141 


Co/Ucnis. 


fx 


Tt'mpostnouH  "Wcatlier  , 
The  IWiict!  MiiioH    . 
Hollies  for  linli.iii  (!liil(licri 
Fisliiii','  in  llic  Jia|iiii.s     . 
A  lJi.Hto^icC'el■tMllony 
l^uu■J.'y^c  ou  LouJH  XIV. 
]\Ii(!lii{(ic()t(.'ii  Island 
Discovciios  of  Co|>i)or 
Value  of  JS' alive  Copper 
Copper  Aliiiitif,'  Coni])iiniea 
JMiiieral  liiclies 
Silver,  Copper,  and  Iron  L)t'i»( 


).sit8 


CIIAI'T 

DUI-UTII   T(> 
Mr.  Prnctnr  Knott's  Speech    . 
D.'liulits  of  Diiliilli 
(u'oj'mpliical  I|.,'iioranpo.         . 
^Manufactures  and  Tiado 
Land  .Spt'(!iilator.s   .         .         . 
A  iliut  to  Eiuigruuts 

ClIAI'TI 

ON'   THE    KKD   J'lVJi 

Course  of  tlie  Rod  lliver         . 
JManiinoth  Farrris    .         .         , 
]}y  Water  to  Winnipeg  . 
]/ake  !Minnetonl<a  .         .        , 
Stern  Wlieel  Steamers    . 
Ouslau'^lits  of  Insects     . 
Scenery  on  the  Hanks     . 
Firbt  View  of  Winnipeg  . 

CIIATT 

THK    CITY   01 

University  of  ]\ranitol>a  . 

]Iistoric:ii  anil  Scientilio  Society 

J'nhlic  Markets 

Fruit  and  Flowers  . 

A  Journalistic  F.vporimeiit     . 

Tlie  Hudson  Uay  CouipaJiy    . 

Mr.  Hrydties    .         .         .    '      . 

St.  Boniface    .        .         ,        , 

Archbishop Tache  . 

Advice  to  Electors  .         , 

A  French  JS'ewspaper     . 


II  \  IT. 

UlN.NinCG. 


I  Y  |[  r. 

Oi'   TUU   NORTH. 


ETl 


TX. 

WLNM  I'KG. 


r.v(;i! 
Jl:{ 

117 
II!) 
].M 

l.W 
ir.7 
LV.) 
l»)l 
](;:? 
IGo 


109 
171 
17;{ 
175 
177 
17i) 


181 
183 

185 
187 
189 
lltl 

V.K\ 

195 


190 
20 1 
!.'(»;{ 
211.") 
2(>7 
209 
211 
213 

2ir. 

217 
219 


a 


iilli 


Contents. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE   PROVINCE   OJ?   MANITOBA. 

OpiiiioTia  aVtnut  tlie  Region 
Extent  of  the  Province  . 
Farming  in  JManiioba  . 
Red  River  Farmers  . 
Prairie  Grasses  .  • 
GrMsshoppers  .         . 

Manitoba  Homesteads    . 


PAOB 

2-Jl 

225 
227 
229 
231 
2133 


ill 


CHAPTER  XI. 

MENNONITES   AND   ICELANUEUS  IN   MANITOBA 

Mennonite  Homes 

iMennonite  Doctrines  and  Habits    •        . 
Failings  of  the  Meunonites     .        •        . 
Llennonite  Exclusiveness        •         •        . 
Kew  Iceliind  ...... 

Discord  among  the  Icelanders        .         . 


237 

2;«) 

241 
i:43 

247 


CHAPTER  XTT. 

THE  NOllTU-VVEST   Il^KKITGRIES. 

Western  Roads  •  •  •  • 
!Miidlioles  •  •  •  •  • 
Prairie  Hotels  .... 
Royal  Commissioners  in  ^Manitoba 
JourniiHsni  at  Ra]nd  City  .  . 
Snccessl'ul  Farmers  .         .         , 

Home  of  the  Hnilalo        .         .         . 
Sale  of  intoxicants  Prohibited         . 


219 
2ol 


253 
255 
257 
259 
2tJl 
2G3 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

TUE    CANADIAN    FAll  WES 

Western  Winters  .... 
Climate,  Soil,  and  Minerals  .  . 
Sir  George  Simpson's  Prophecy  . 
Ciiniidian  Pacific  Railway  .  . 
Hudson  Bay  Route  .  •  • 
Rival  Regions  .... 
Perlect  Wheat  Plants  .  ,  . 
The  •«  Lund  of  Misery"  . 
A  Terrestrial  Paradise  .  •  • 
Canada's  Future     .... 


267 

2<)9 
271 
273 
275 

277 
279 
2.SI 
2«3 
285 


SUPPLEMENTARY  CHAPTER. 

WEEDS  IN   NOIITH  AMBEICA. 

Weeds  in  North  America 


237 


PAGB 
221 
22:3 

225 
227 
229 
231 
263 


237 

2;{!} 

241 
247 


MAPS  AND  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


24.9 

251 
253 
255 
257 
259 
261 
203 


1.  Map  op  Newfoundland.        , 

2.  Do.      Manitoba    .        ,        , 

3.  Do.      Dominion  op  Canada 

4.  VVlNNIPDa  AS  IT  WAS  IN   1870 . 

5.  Do.         as  it  18  ,       , 


PA  OB 

ri'untisjiicce 
.  2:!3 
.  295 
.  197 
.    212 


267 
269 
271 
273 
275 
277 
279 
281 
283 
285 


287 


"l 


NEWFOmDLAND  TO  MANITOBA. 


♦ 


CHAPTER  I. 

England's  oldest  colony. 
I. 

Newfocjndland  was   discovered   in   the  reign   of 
Henry   the  Seventh    and  incorporated  with  the 
Enghsh  realm  in  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth. 
It  IS  an  Island  presenting  many  and  marked  con- 
trasts to  the  Fiji  Islands  which  have  been  added 
to   the   British   Empire  in  the  reign   of    Queen 
Victoria.      In   Fiji  every   prospect   pleases   and 
man  does  the  reverse,  owing  to  a  taste  for  eating 
his  fellows.     Nature  often  wears  a  rude  and  for- 
bidding aspect  in  Newfoundland ;  the  aborigines, 
on  the  other  hand,  were  too  mild  and  inoife'^nsive 
to  survive  the  invasion  of  savage  Mic-Maclndians 
and   the   effects    of   civilized   vices  imported   by 
white  men  from  Europe. 

B 


1 


«i! 


2      .  England'' s  Oldest  Colony, 

Money  is  made  in  Fiji  by  growing  and  crushing 
sugar-cane ;  in  Newfoundland  fortunes  have  been 
accumulated  by  catching  and  curing  fish.  The 
colonists  of  Fiji  are  envied  for  backing  in 
Slimmer  weather  all  the  year  round,  while  the 
Newfoundlanders  are  pitied  for  having  to  sustain 
a  struggle  for  existence  amid  the  icy  gales  and 
fogs  of  the  Northern  Atlantic.  If  the  lot  of  the 
latter  were  as  sad  as  is  commonly  supposed,  thry 
would  be  pardoned  for  repining  and  complaining 
that  it  was  intolerable.  Though  not  more  con- 
tented than  other  mortals  or  reluctant  to  exercise 
the  truly  British  prerogative  of  grumbling,  yet 
their  grievances  are  not  those  for  which  Nature 
can  fairly  be  held  responsible.  They  are  proud 
of  their  Island  despite  its  fancied  drawbacks, 
loving  it  with  a  devotion  which  nothing  can 
impair.  The  intensity  of  a  Newfoundlander's 
patriotism  is  a  striking  apd  admirable  trait  in  his 
character.  His  patriotism  is  evidently  as  genuine 
as  it  is  profound.  Even  new  comers  soon  learn 
to  vie  with  the  native-born  inhabitants  in  ex- 
tolling the  Island's  charms.  Life  in  Newfound- 
land has  many  compensations  and  enjoyments 
which  are  unsuspected  by  a  stranger. 

For  many  years  after  the  month  of  June, 
1497,  when  John  Cabot  discovered  this  Island, 
nothing  was  done  by  Englishmen  to  profit  by  its 


J 

3 


Earliest  Notices  of  Newfoundland. 


[•usliing 
^e  been 
I.     The 


mg 


in 
lile  the 


sustain 
les  and 
b  of  the 
d,  thoy 
)laining 
re  con- 
?xcrcise 
ng,  yet 
Nature 
!  proud 
v^backs, 
'  can 
ander's 
t  in  his 
^ennine 
1  learn 
in  ex- 
rfound- 
yments 

June, 
Island, 
by  its 


■■■I 
I 


I 


natural  advantages.  The  earliest  notices  of  it 
are  to  be  found  in  the  records  of  ITenry  the 
Seventh's  privy  purse  expenses ;  the  first  of  these 
references  is  dated  the  10th  of  August,  1497,  and 
is  to  the  efTect  that  10/.  were  given  "  to  hym  that 
found  the  new  Isle ; "  the  last  is  dated  25t]i 
August  1(505,  and  is  a  reward  of  13.s.  4cZ.  to  Clays 
for  going  to  Eichmond  "  with  wilde  catts  and 
popingays  of  the  Newfound  Island."  Entries 
between  these  dates  relate  to  two  payments  of 
20/.  and  one  of  30/.  made  to  merchants  that  had 
voj'^aged  to  Newfoundland,  and  to  a  reward  of 
1/.  "  to  one  that  brought  hawkcs  from  the  Ncav- 
founded  Island."  It  was  not  till  1510  that 
Englishmen  sailing  from  the  ports  of  Biddeford, 
Barnstable  and  Bristol  systematically  engaged  in 
the  Newfoundland  fisheries.  As  early  as  1504, 
the  Portuguese  had  begun  to  catch  cod  there ; 
fifteen  years  later,  the  crews  of  forty  vessels 
belonging  to  Portuguese,  Spaniards  and  French- 
men were  thus  employed.  In  1578,  England  had 
50  vessels,  Portugal  50  and  France  and  Spain 
]  50  occupied  in  reaping  the  harvest  of  the  sea  in 
the  North  Atlantic. 

The  value  of  Newfoundland  as  a  fishing  station 
having  been  demonstrated,  it  was  resolved  to 
send  colonists  thither.  The  first  essay  towards 
carrying  out  this  resolve  was  made  by  Mr.  Robert 

B  2 


M 


M 


1.1! 


i . 


4  EnglancVs  Oldest  Colony. 

Tliorne  of  Bristol,  in  1527;  the  sccoiirl,  by  Mr. 
Hore  of  London,  Ji  man  whom  IJukluvt  describes 
as  "  of  goodly  stature  and  great  courage  and 
given  to  the  study  of  Cosmography."  Mr.  Hore 
persuaded  many  gentlemen  and  others  to  join 
with  him  in  an  undertaking  Avhich  Henry  the 
Eighth  regarded  with  approve^  '  The  party  to 
the  number  of  "  about  six  score  persons  whereof 
thirty  were  gentlemen  "  embarked  at  Gravesend, 
towards  the  end  of  April  1530,  in  the  Tvinify  and 
Million.  Before  embarking,  the  entire  party 
"  mustered  in  warlike  mannr  and  received  the 
Sacrament."  They  returned  home  in  October 
after  visiting  Newfoundland,  getting  a  glhnpse  of 
the  natives,  observing  that  the  land  was  covered 
with  fir  and  pine  trees,  undergoing  such  great 
privations  through  lack  of  provisions  that  the 
strong  killed  the  weak  and  ate  their  flesh.  The 
survivors  took  forcible  possession  of  a  French 
ship  and  sailed  in  it  to  England.  It  is  related 
by  Hakluyt  that  Mr.  Thomas  Buts,  one  of  the 
party,  "  was  so  changed  in  the  voyage  with 
hunger  and  misery  "  that  his  father  nnd  mother 
Sir  William  and  Liidy  Buts,  of  Norfolk,  "  knew 
him  not  to  be  their  son,  until  they  found  a  secret 
mark  wdiich  was  a  wart  upon  one  of  his  knees." 

The   subsequent    action    of  the    French    crew, 
whom    the    English   had   shamefully   used,  gave 


■I 


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% 


"4 

^1 

1 

■-■-L 

-^. 

;3 

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h 

4 

c 

■f 

1 

V 

\i 

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t 

i 

8 

1 

s 

1 

h 

1 

.. 

Products  of  the  Island. 


by  ]\Tr. 
ascribes 
^0  and 
\  Hore 
to  join 
iry  the 
irty  to 
rliereof 
i'esend, 
iUj  and 

party 
^ed  the 
)ctober 
npse  of 
covered 
I  great 
lat  the 
The 
French 
related 
of  the 
with 
mother 
"  knew 
L  secret 
ees.'* 

crew, 
1,  gave 


ITonry  the  Eif>'1itli  an  opportunity  to  disjplny  the 
better  side  of  his  character.  Jlaklnyt  records 
that  these   Frenclinien   readied    KnHand   certain 

niontlis  after  "and  made  complaint  to  King 
Henry  the  Eif^hth  :  the  Kin^f  cansin<>;  the  matter 
to  be  examined,  and  finding  the  great  distress  of 
his  subjects,  and  tlie  causes  of  the  dealing  so 
with  the  Frencli,  was  so  moved  with  pity,  tluit  he 
punished  not  his  subjects,  but  of  his  own  purse 
niade  full  and  royal  recompense  unto  the 
French."  * 

The  most  detailed  account  of  Newfoundland  as 
it  appeared  to  the  early  visitors  is  contained  in  a 
letter  of  Mr.  Anthony  Parkhurst  of  Bristol  to 
Mr.  Hicliard  liakluyt  of  the  Middle  Temple, 
dated  loth  of  November  1578.  Parkhurst  had 
made  several  voyages  to  the  Island,  and  Hakluyt 
having  applied  to  him  for  information,  Parkhurst 
said  in  reply  that  he  hoped  Hakluyt  would  use 
his  influence  to  induce  men  in  power  to  help  in 
christianizing  Newfoundland  or  rather,  as  he 
phrases  it,  *'  to  redeem  the  people  of  Newfound- 
land and  those  parts  from  out  of  the  captivity  of 
that  spiritual  Pharaoh,  the  devil."  He  gives  a 
glowing  picture  of  the  Island.  He  says  that  the 
soil  is  good  and  fertile,  that,  in  sundry  places,  he 
had  "  sown  wheat,  barley,  rye,  oats,  beans,  peas, 

»  Hakluyt's  Works,  ed.  1810,  vol.  8,  pp.  1G8— 170. 


England's  Oldest  Colony, 


m 


\ 


\ 


and  seeds  of  herbs,  kernels,  plumstones,  nuts,  all 
of  which  have  prospered  as  in  England.  The 
country  yieldeth  many  good  trees  of  fruit,  as 
filberts  in  some  places,  but  in  all  places  chei-ry 
trees,  and  a  kind  of  pear  tree  meet  to  graft  on. 
As  for  roses  they  are  as  common  as  brambles 
here;  strawberries,  dewberries  and  raspberries, 
as  common  as  grass.  The  timber  is  most  fir,  yet 
plenty  of  pineapple  trees ;  few  of  these  two  kinds 
meet  to  mast  a  ship  of  three  score  and  ten 
[tons]  ;  but  near  Cape  Breton,  and  to  the  South- 
ward, big  and  sufficient  for  any  ship.  There  be 
also  oaks  and  thorns,  there  is  in  all  the  country 
plenty  of  birch  and  alder,  which  be  the  meetest 
wood  for  cold,  and  also  willow,  which  will  serve 
for  any  other  purposes.  As  touching  the  kinds 
of  fish  beside  cod,  there  are  herrings,  salmons, 
thornebacke,  plaice,  or  rather  we  should  call 
them  flounders,  dog  fish,  and  another  most  ex- 
cellent of  taste  called  by  us  a  cat,  oysters  and 
muscles,  in  which  I  have  found  pearls  above  forty 
in  one  muscle,  and  generally  all  have  some,  great 
or  small.  I  heard  of  a  Portugal  that  found  one 
worth  300  ducats.  There  are  also  other  kinds 
of  shell  fish,  as  limpets,  cockles,  wilks,  lobsters 
and  crabs ;  also  a  fish  like  a  smelt  which  cometh 
on  shore,  and  another  that  hath  the  like  property, 
called  a  squid."  lie  calls  the  climate  temperate 
and  far  pleasanter  than  might  be  supposed  from 
the  tales  of  "  foolish  mariners.'*  He  depicts  the 
land  as  being  intersected  with  rivers  and  covered 


1 


1 


J^ic/i  in  Minerals.  7 

in  places  with  lakes  full  of  fish :  **  Tlioro  are 
plenty  of  bears  everywhere,  so  that  yon  may  kill 
of  them  as  oft  as  you  list;  their  flesh  is  as  good 
as  young  beef,  and  hardly  you  may  know  the  one 
from  the  other  if  it  be  powdered  but  two  days. 
Of  otters  we  may  take  like  store.  There  are  sea- 
gulls, murres,  ducks,  wild  geese,  and  many  other 
kind  of  birds  store,  too  long  to  write,  especially 
at  one  island  named  Penguin,  where  we  may  drive 
them  on  a  plank  into  our  ship,  as  many  as  shall 
lade  her."  Deer,  hares,  foxes  and  wolves 
abounded.  In  addition  to  possessing  a  fruitful 
soil,  and  many  varieties  of  trees,  animals  and  fish, 
the  Island  was  believed  by  Parkhurst  to  be 
rich  in  minerals ;  he  had  found  and  brought 
home  with  him  specimens  of  iron  and  copper 
ore. 

The  foregoing  particulars,  which  Parkhurst 
communicated  to  Ilakluyt,  were  doubtless  known 
to  many  persons  and  increased  their  desiro  to 
colonize  the  Island.  In  the  year  that  Parkhurst's 
letter  was  written.  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert  pro- 
cured Letters  Patent  from  Queen  Elizabeth  autho- 
rizing him  to  search  for  and  occupy  unknown 
lands  or  places  which  were  not  in  the  occupation 
of  the  subjects  of  any  Christian  potentate.  In 
those  days,  as  at  a  later  time,  the  natives  of  a 
country  whose  skins  were  dark  and  who  had 
never  heard  of  Christ,  were  denied  any   rights 


if 


i 


^1 


8 


England's  Oldest  Colony. 


\ 


which  white-faced  Cliristians  were  bound  to 
respect.  The  Cliristians  considered  themselves 
justified  in  taking  possession  of  the  lands  of  these 
heathen  barbarians  on  the  plea  that  they  would 
teach  them  to  read  the  Bible  and  rescue  them 
from  the  dominion  of  Satan. 

Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert's  first  attempt  at  ex- 
ploration failed  after  he  had  collected  a  fleet  and 
persuaded  many  persons  to  join  him.  He  returned 
to  England  without  accomplishing  anything,  and 
with  the  loss  of  a  vessel.  Sir  Walter  Raleigh, 
his  half-brother,  who  was  associated  with  him  in 
the  enterprise,was  to  have  accompanied  him  when 
he  set  out  the  second  time,  from  Causet  bay 
near  Plymouth,  on  the  11th  of  June  1583  ;  but 
Raleigh  did  not  go  and  the  vessel  which  he  had 
fitted  out  put  back  to  port  shortly  after  sailing. 
However,  Raleigh  sent  a  letter  to  Sir  Humphrey 
Gilbert,  immediately  before  the  latter  sailed, 
containing  a  message  from  Queen  Elizabeth  to 
the  effect  that  she  wished  him  "  as  great  good  hap 
and  safety  to  his  ship  as  if  she  herself  were  there 
in  person,"  this  letter  being  accompanied  with  a 
jewel  from  the  Queen  in  the  form  of  an  anchor 
guided  by  a  lady.  A  narrative  of  the  expedition 
has  been  written  by  Captain  Hayes,  one  of  the 
few  survivors.  He  says  the  fleet  consisted  of  five 
vessels,  the  DeligJd,  120  tons  burden,  the  Baleigh 


Sir  IIiDiiphrcy  Gilbert's  Mission. 


:\ 


200  tons,  tlio  ftoJdf'R  fliiid  10  tons,  tlie  SirttJJoin 
40  tons,  and  tlio  Si/nirrd  10  tons.  The  ])arly 
ninnb(M'(Ml  abont  '200,  "  anioii,i2f  whom  wo  luul  of 
every  faculty  good  clioice,  as  shij)wri<^lits,  masons, 
carpenters,  smitlis  and  such  like,  re(niisite  to 
sucli  an  action  ;  also  mineral  men  and  reiiners. 
B(>sides,  for  solace  of  onr  people,  and  allurements 
of  the  savages,  Ave  were  pi'ovidcd  of  nuisic  in 
p^ood  variety :  not  omittini^  the  least  toys,  as 
morris  dancers,  hobby  horses  and  jMaylike  con- 
ceits to  delight  the  savage  people,  whom  we 
intended  to  win  by  all  fair  means  possible.  And 
to  that  end  we  Avere  indifferently  furnished  of  all 
pretty  haberdashery  wares  to  barter  with  those 
simple  people." 

Their  first  mischance,  as  has  been  stated,  was 
that  the  Raleigh  parted  company  soon  after  sailing, 
aT\d  pnt  back ;  their  second  was  that  the  crew  of 
the  Swallow  engaged  in  piracy.  However,  they 
reached  the  harbour  of  St.  Johns,  Newfoundland 
on  the  3rd  of  August.  The  next  day  being 
Sunday,  Sir  Humphrey  and  his  company  went  on 
shore  under  the  escort  of  the  English  merchants, 

"  who  showed  ns  their  accustomed  walks  unto  a 
place  they  call  the  Garden.  But  nothing  appeared 
more  than  Nature  itself  without  art,  who  con- 
fusedly hatli  brought  fortli  roses  abundantly, 
wild,  but  odoriferous  and  to  sense  very  com- 
fortable. Also  the  hke  plenty  of  raspberries, 
which  do  grow  in  every  place."     On  the  following 


lO 


EufihuuVs  Oldest  Colony, 


i 


i! 


day,  Sip  TTiiinplircy  Cilbcrfc  read  his  Letters 
Patent  and  took  possession  of  tlic  country  in  the 
Queen's  name.  A  fortnight  was  spent  in  ex- 
ploring tlie  country  and  in  trying  to  communicate 
with  t!ie  aborigines.  It  was  found  that  there 
were  no  natives  in  the  Southern  part,  and  it  was 
su[)posed  that  this  arose  from  the  south  coast 
"being  so  much  frequented  by  Christians."  In 
the  Northern  part  they  found  savages  who  were 
"  altogether  harmless." 

The  country  pleased  them.  They  liked  the 
chmate  ;  they  were  struck  with  the  abundance  of 
fish  and  game  and  with  the  fine  flowers  which 
grew  luxuriantly.  Indeed,  Captain  Hayes  ex- 
presses his  thankfulness  to  God  for  having  super- 
abundantly replenished  the  earth  with  creatures 
for  the  use  of  man,  though  man  hath  not  used  a 
fifth  part  of  the  same,  and  this  consideration,  in 
his  opinion,  "  doth  aggravate  the  fault  and  foolish 
sloth  in  many  of  our  nation,  choosing  rather  to 
live  indirectly,  and  very  miserably  to  live  and  die 
within  this  realm  pestered  with  inhabitants,  than 
to  adventure  as  becomcth  men,  to  obtain  a 
habitation  in  those  remote  lands,  in  which  Nature 
very  prodigally  doth  minister  unto  men's  en- 
deavours, and  for  art  to  work  upon."  Captain 
Hayes  notes  that  there  are  traces  of  minerals  in 
many  places,  that  iron  is  plentiful,  and  that  lead 


Daniel  Discovers  Silver. 


II 


and  copper  arc  to  bo  met  with.  Sir  Humphrey 
Gilbert's  avowed  desire  was  to  discover  silver  or 
gold.  "  Amongst  other  charges  given  to  inquire 
out  the  singularities  of  this  country,  the  General 
(Sir  Humphrey)  was  most  curious  in  the  search 
of  metals,  commanding  the  mineral  man  and 
refiner,  especially  to  bo  diligent.  .  The  same  was 
a  Saxon  born,  honest  and  religions,  named  Daniel, 
who  after  search  brought  at  first  some  sort  of  ore, 
seeming  rather  to  be  iron  than  other  metal.  The 
ext  time  he  found  ore,  which  with  no  small  show 
of  contentment  he  delivered  unto  the  General, 
using  protestation,  that  if  silver  were  the  thing 
which  might  satisfy  the  General  and  his  followers, 
there  it  was,  advising  him  to  seek  no  further :  the 
peril  whereof  he  undertook  upon  his  life  (as  dear 
unto  him  as  the  Crown  of  England  unto  her 
Majesty,  that  I  may  use  his  own  words)  if  it  fell 
not  out  accordingly."     Captain  Hayes  avows  that 

he  was  sceptical  about  the  value  of  the  '*  mineral 
man's  '*  discovery,  and  adds  Sir  Humphrey 
■was  so  thoroughly  satisfied  that  ho  took  pre- 
cautions to  keep  the  discovery  a  secret  lest  the 
Portuguese  and  French,  who  were  in  force  there, 
might  seize  the  DeltgJit  freighted  with  the  precious 
ore.  The  Delight  was  lost  soon  after  on  Sable 
Island,  the  island  on  which  the  Cunard  steamer 
Jh'itannia  grounded  for  a  short  time  when  Charles 
Dickens  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  1842.  A  man  of 
letters,  who  was  a  passenger  on  board  the  Delight, 


4-  I 


^<il 


•    il 


13 


England  s  Oldest  Colony, 


perished  when  that  vessel  was  wrecked.  This 
was  Stephanus  Parmenius,  a  learned  Hun^^arian 
who,  in  the  language  of  Captain  Hayes,  "  of  piety 
and  zeal  to  good  attempts,  adventured  in  this 
action,  minding  to  record  in  the  Latin  tongue, 
tlie  gests  and  things  worthy  of  remembrance, 
happening  in  this  discovery,  to  the  honour  of  our 
nation,  the  same  being  adorned  with  the  eloquent 
style  of  this  orator  and  rare  poet  of  our  time."    The 

only  record  of  the  voyage,  which  this  learned  Hun- 
garian hasleft,  is  a  Latin  epistle  writtenat  St.  Johns 
and  addressed  to  Hakluyt  who  has  turned  it  into 
English.  What  impressed  Parrnenius  the  most  was 

the  incredible  abundance  offish,  "whereby  great 
gain  grows  to  them  that  travel  to  these  parts  :  the 
hook  is  no  sooner  thrown  out,  but  it  is  eftsoones 
drawn  up  with  some  goodly  fish  :  the  whole  hmd 
is  full  of  hills  and  woods.  The  trees  for  the  most 
part  are  pines  and  of  them  some  are  very  old, 
and  some  yonng :  a  great  part  of  them  being 
fallen  by  reason  of  their  age,  doth  so  hinder  the 
sight  of  the  land,  and  stop  the  way  of  those  that 
seek  to  travel,  that  they  can  go  no  whither  :  all 
the  grass  here  is  long  and  tall,  and  little  differeth 
from  ours.  It  seemeth  also  that  the  nature  of 
this  soil  is  fit  for  corn  :  for  I  found  certain  blades 
and  ears  in  a  manner  bearded,  so  that  it  appearctli 
that  by  manuring  and  sowing,  they  may  easily  be 
framed  for  the  use  of  man :  here  are  in  the  woods 
bush  berries  or  rather  strawberries,  growing  up 
like  trees,  of  great  sweetness.     Bears  also  appear 


i 


a. 


Result  of  Alincral  Discoveries. 


13 


!  1- 


tlie 

Itliat 

all 

•eth 

10  of 

lules 

'Gth 

be 

lods 

up 

•ear 


about  tlie  fishers'  stages  of  tlie  country,  nnd  nre 
sometimes  killed,  but  tliey  seem  to  be  wliite,  as  I 
conjectured  by  tlieir  skins,  and  somewhat  less 
than  ours." 

Another  passenger  whose  loss  was  even  more 
lamented  was  Daniel,  "  our  Saxon  renner  and  dis- 
coverer of  inestimable  riohes."  Sir  Humplirey 
Gilbert  deeply  mourned  the  loss  of  Daniel  and  of  the 
ore  on  board  the  Deltijht  as  well  as  of  his  own  notes 
and  books.  The  discovery  of  ore  had  altered  his 
opinion  as  regards  Newfoundland  and  he  intimated 
that,  whereas  he  previously  had  a  great  pre- 
dilection for  the  southern  part  of  the  North 
American  Continent,  now  he  w^as  wholly  in 
favour  of  the  northern.  Had  he  been  spared,  it  is 
probable  that  the  colonization  of  Virginia  might 
not  have  taken  place  for  a  longer  space  of  time. 
The  failure  of  his  expedition  to  Newfoundland 
directed  all  the  thoughts  and  efforts  of  Sir  Walter 
Kaleigh  and  others  towards  effecting  the  settlement 
of  Virginia.  Sir  Humphrey's  confidence  was  so 
extreme  that  he  believed  he  could  persuade  Queen 
Ehzabeth  to  lend  him  10,000Z.  wherewith  to  pro- 
secute his  enterprise  the  following  spring.  His 
hopes  were  destined  to  die  with  him  and  that 
speedily. 

Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert's  death  is  one  of  the 
tragic  episodes  in  the  annals  of  adventure.     He 


.].i 


H 


England's  Oldest  Colony. 


lit 


■\ 


I  It 


resolved  to  sail  liome  in  the  Squirrel  a  cockle 
shell  of  10  tons.  He  was  entreated  to  leave  that 
vessel  and  take  passage  in  the  Golden  Illnd,  being 
urged  to  make  the  exchange  on  the  ground  that 
he  ran  great  risk  by  remaining  in  the  Squirrel. 
His  admirable  reply  was  "  I  will  not  forsake  my 
little  company  going  homeward,  with  whom  I 
have  passed  so  many  storms  and  perils."  Soon 
after  he  had  thus  spoken  the  wind  blew  a  gale 
and  the  sea  raged  tumultuously  so  that  bot'  essels 
w^ere  in  extreme  peril.  On  the  afternoon  of  Mon- 
day the  9th  of  September  1583,  the  Squirrel  nearly 
foundered,  but  the  vessel  recovering,  Sir  Hum- 
phrey was  seen  by  those  in  the  Golden  Hind  seated 
on  the  deck  with  a  book  in  his  hand,  and  he  was 
heard  exclaiming,  whenever  the  vessels  ap- 
proached within  speaking  distance  of  each  other, 
*'  we  are  as  near  to  heaven  by  sea  as  by  land." 

Captain  Hayes  adds  :  "  The  same  Monday  night, 
about  12  of  the  clock,  or  not  long  after,  the 
Squirrel  being  ahead  of  us  in  the  Golden  Hind, 
suddenly  her  lights  were  out,  whereof  as  it  were 
in  a  moment,  we  lost  the  sight,  and  withal  our 
watch  cryed,  the  General  was  cast  away,  which 
was  too  true." 

The  tangible  result  of  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert's 
expedition  was  the  formal  addition  of  Newfound- 
land to  the  English  realm.     After  he  had  read 


Whitboitrnc^s  Account, 


1.5 


liis  Letters  Patent ;  "  bad  delivered  unto  him 
(after  the  custom  of  England)  a  rod  and  a 
turf  of  soil,"  set  up  the  arms  of  England,  en- 
graved on  lead,  in  a  conspicuous  place,  there 
could  be  no  dispute  as  to  which  European  State 
had  professed  to  have  taken  possession  of  the 
Island.  He  followed  the  ceremony  of  taking 
possession  with  an  act  of  legislation,  promulgating 
three  Laws  which  were  to  take  immediate  effect, 
the  first  ordaining  that  the  public  exercise  of  re- 
ligion should  be  after  the  pattern  of  the  Church 
of  England;  the  second  enjoining  the  pains  and 
penalties  of  high  treason  against  the  persons 
who  should  question  or  attack  the  Queen's 
title  to  the  country ;  the  third  providing  that 
"  if  any  person  shall  utter  words  sounding 
to  the  dishonour  of  her  Majesty,  he  sliould 
lose  his  ears,  and  have  his  ship  and  goods 
confiscate." 

Captain  Richard  Whitbourne,  the  author  of  the 
first  bookwritten  about  Newfoundland, was  present 
on  this  occasion.  He  confirms  the  reports  of  other 
observers  as  to  the  fruitf  ulness  of  the  land.  Fruits, 
flowers  and  herbs  he  saw  growing  in  great  pro- 
fusion ;  moreover,  there  was  "  great  store  of 
deer's  flesh  in  that  countrv,  and  no  want  of  "-ood 
fish,  good  fowl,  good  fresh  water,  and  store  of 


I  t 


l6 


England* s  Oldest  Colony. 


% 


wood.  By  wliich  commodities  people  mny  live 
very  pleasantly."  He  argued  with  great  show 
of  reason  that  such  a  country  was  well  adapted 
for  settlement.  He  held,  not  only  that  people 
could  make  new  andcomfortal)le  homes  for  them- 
selves there,  but  also  "  that  by  a  plantation  there 
and  by  that  means  only,  the  poor  mis-believing 
inhabitants  of  that  country  may  be  reduced  from 
barbarism  to  the  knowledge  of  God  and  the  light 
of  his  truth,  and  to  a  civil  and  regular  kind  of 
life  and  government." 

Both  Captain  Hayes  and  Captain  Whitbourne 
saw  strange  monsters  during  their  visits  to  New- 
foundland. Th&  latter  minutely  describes  an 
animal  Avhich  he  fancies  to  be  a  merman  or  mer- 
maid, but  which  was  probably  a  seal.  The 
former  thus  describes  a  monster  which  bears  a 
resemblance  to  that  represented  in  the  accounts  of 
the  sea  serpent :  "  Upon  Saturday  in  the  after- 
noon the  31st  of  August  [1583]  we  changed  our 
course,  and  returned  back  for  England,  at  which 
very  instant,  even  in  winding  about,  there  passed 
along  between  us  and  towards  the  land  wdiich  we 
now  forsook  a  very  lion  to  our  seeming,  in  shape, 
hair  and  colour,  not  swimming  after  the  manner 
of  a  beast  by  moving  of  his  feet,  but  rather  sliding 
upon  the  water  with  his  whole  body  (excepting 
the  legs)  in  sight,  neither  yet  diving  under,  and 
again  rising  above  the  water,  as  the  manner  is, 


fa 


r 


First  Colonists. 


17 


of  wLales,  rlolphins,  tnnm'es,  porpoif=?es  anfl  other 
fish  ;  but  confidently  showing  himself  above  water 
without  hiding,  notwithstanding  we  presented 
ourselves  in  open  view  and  gesture  to  amaze  him, 
as  all  creatures  will  be  commonly  at  a  sudden 
gaze  and  sight  of  men.  Thus  he  passed  aloug 
turning  his  head  to  and  fro,  yawuing  and  gaping 
wide,  with  ugly  demonstration  of  long  teeth,  and 
glaring  eyes,  and  to  bid  us  a  farewell  (coming 
right  against  the  Illnd)  he  sent  forth  a  horrible 
voice,  roaring  and  bellowing  as  doth  a  lion,  which 
spectacle  we  all  beheld  so  far  as  we  were  able  to 
discern  the  same,  as  men  prone  to  wonder  at 
every  strange  thing,  as  this  doubtless  was,  to  see 
a  liou  in  the  Ocean  sea,  or  fish  in  shape  of  a 
lion."2 

The  colonization  of  Newfoundland  was  one  of 
Bacon's  favourite  projects ;  he  believed  that  the 
country  was  well  suited  for  settlement  and  that 
the  surrounding  sea  contained  even  more  precious 
treasure  than  that  which  was  embedded  in  the 
mountains  of  Mexico  and  Peru.  He  was  a 
partner  in  a  company  which  obtained  an  exten- 
sive grant  of  land  in  Newfoundland  from  James 
the  First,  and  John  Guy,  a  merchant  of  Bristol, 
was  sent  forth  to  found  a  colony  at  Conception 
Bay.  He  sailed  from  Bristol  in  IGIO  with 
thi'ee    ships    filled   with    emigrants,    established 


Hakluyt,  vol.  3,  p.  200. 


til,; 


■t'j  .1 


W, 


i 


IH, 


'll 


i8 


England's  Oldest  Colony. 


himself  and  his  followers  at  the  appointed  place 
and  opened  up  an  intercourse  with  the  Indians. 
For  some  unexplained  reason  many  of  the  colo- 
nists determined  to  return  home,  which  they  did 
in  1612.  Eleven  years  later  Sir  George  Calvert 
obtained  a  large  grant  of  land  from  the  King 
which  he  styled  the  Province  of  Avalon.  Here 
he  built  himself  a  house  and  settled  with  his 
family  and  several  followers.  A  French  settle- 
ment had  been  made  not  far  distant  and  the  rival 
settlers  were  on  terms  of  enmity.  Sir  George 
Calvert  built  a  fort  to  protect  his  settlement  from 
the  attacks  of  the  French ;  he  became  tired,  how- 
ever, of  the  hostilities  which  he  had  to  wage  and 
returned  with  his  family  to  England.  He  re- 
ceived from  Charles  the  First  a  grant  of  land  on 
the  American  Continent  where  he  founded  a 
highly  successful  colony,  the  land  itself  being  now 
known  as  the  State  of  Maryland.  Lord  Falkland 
sent  a  few  colonists  to  Newfoundland  from  Ire- 
land in  1G28  and  a  few  more  went  from  England 
under  the  supervision  of  Sir  David  Kirk  in  1054 
and  with  the  sanction  of  the  Parliament. 

Charles  the  First  considered  it  his  duty  to  issue 
a  code  of  laws  to  govern  the  Newfoundland 
fishermen.  According  to  this  code  any  person 
accused  of  murder  or  theft  of  articles  valued 
at  40  shillings  was  to  be  brought  to  England  for 


Laivs  of  Charles  /. 


19 


trial ;  all  persons  were  prohibited  from  costing 
ballast  into  liarbours  or  destroying  tlie  stages  used 
in  drying  and  curing  fish  ;  it  was  ordered  that, 
according  to  ancient  custom,  the  master  of  the 
ship  which  first  entered  the  harbour  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  fishery  should  be  Admiral,  and  exercise 
jurisdiction  over  the  others  and  enjoy  special 
privileges ;  all  persons  were  forbidden  to  deface 
or  alter  the  distinguishing  marks  on  boats,  to 
purloin  salt  or  other  provision  belonging  to  the 
fishing  trade,  to  set  fire  to  the  woods  of  the 
country  or  work  detriment  to  them  by  "  rinding 
of  the  trees,"  to  cast  anchor  where  the  hauling 
of  bait  might  be  hindered,  to  rob  the  nets  of 
others,  or  take  bait  out  of  their  boats  and,  lastly, 
it  was  enjoined  that  the  ships'  companies  should 
assemble  on  Sundays  and  hear  Divine  service  read 
to  them,  the  prayers  to  be  "  such  as  are  in  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer."  In  this  summary  of 
the  laws  which  Charles  issued,  I  have  omitted 
the  tenth  Clause  of  the  Commission  which  is  in 
some  respects  the  most  noteworthy,  being  one  of 
the  earliest  attempts  made  to  suppress  the  sale 
not  only  of  strong  drink  but  also  of  tobacco.  Its 
terms  are  :  "  That  no  person  do  set  up  any  tavern 
for  selling  of  wine,  beer,  or  strong  waters,  cyder 
or  tobacco,  to  entertain  the  fishermen ;  because  it 
is  found  that  by  such  means  they  are  debauched, 

c  2 


it 


if 

i 


20 


England'' s  Oldest  Colony, 


iiofflcctinGf  tlicir  labour,  and  poor  ill-ixovcrned  men 
not  only  spend  most  part  of  their  sliarfs  before 
they  come  home  upon  whicli  t.lie  life  and  mainte- 
nance of  their  ^vives  and  cliildren  depend,  but  are 
likewise  hurtful  in  divers  other  ways,  as,  by 
nefflectinof  and  makino:  themselves  unfit  for  their 
labour,  by  purloining  and  stealinj^  from  their 
owners,  and  making  unlawful  shifts  to  supply 
their  disorders,  which  disorders  they  frequently 
follow  since  these  occasions  have  presented  them- 
selves.'' 

Two  hundred  years  elapsed  after  Charles  the 
First  gave  these  laws  to  Newfoundland  before  the 
people  of  the  Island  exercised  the  riglit  of  legis- 
lating for  themselves.  In  that  long  interval  the 
Islanders  were  treated  as  children  who  did  not 
know  what  was  good  for  them  and  their  Island 
was  regarded  as  nothing  more  than  a  fishing 
station.  Indeed,  the  utmost  efforts  were  used  to 
prevent  its  becoming  anything  else.  The  wish  of 
any  person  to  settle  and  till  the  soil  was  thwarted 
in  every  possible  way.  The  masters  of  vessels 
were  strictly  prohibited  from  carrying  any  settlers 
thither.  It  was  supposed  that,  if  the  Island  were 
covered  with  persons  engaged  in  farming  or  cattle 
rearing,  the  fisheries  would  be  neglected.  This 
dread  led  to  the  issuing  of  the  most  iniquitous 
decree  for  wdiich  the  Government  of  any  civilized 
community  can  be  held  responsible.     At  the  in- 


Scttlanent  Impeded. 


31 


m- 


stance,  as  was  supposed,  of  Sir  Josiali  Child,  a 
London  merchant,  a  man  accounted  far  more  en- 
lightened than  his  contemporaries  and  one  of 
the  earliest  writers  on  Political  Economy,  the 
Government  of  Charles  the  Second  decreed  the 
destruction  of  the  colony.  Sir  John  Berry  being 
commissioned  to  burn  down  the  houses  in  order 
that  the  settlers  might  be  compelled  to  depart. 
This  inhuman  edict  was  modified  throuo:h  the 
representations  made  to  the  King  by  John 
Downing,  a  settler;  his  Majesty  being  graciously 
pleased  to  command  that  the  houses  were  to  be 
allowed  to  remain.  However,  rigid  steps  were 
taken  for  hindering  any  person  residing  on  the 
Island  Avho  was  not  directly  engaged  in  the 
fislieries. 

Down  to  the  year  1811,  no  house  could  be  erected 
on  the  Island  without  the  written  permission  of 
the  Governor.  Letters  are  extant  showing  that 
the  Governors  ordered  the  demolition  of  houses 
erected  tliere  without  tlieir  consent  and  also  that 
they  forbade  the  cultivation  of  tlie  soil.  The 
following  example  of  this  almost  incredible  policy 
is  to  be  found  in  a  letter  written  in  October,  1790, 
by  Governoi-  Milbanke  to  George  Ilutchins :  "I 
have  consulored.  your  request  respecting  the 
alteration  which  you  wish  to  make  in  your  store- 
liouse  near  the  waterside,  and  as  it  appears  that 


o  •> 


England'* s  Oldest  Colony, 


i! 


t 


tliG  nlteration  will  not  bo  in  any  ways  injurious  to 
tlie  fishery,  you  have  hereby  permission  to  make 
it.  As  to  Alexander  Long's  house,  which  has 
been  built  contrary  to  his  Majesty's  express  com- 
mands, made  known  to  the  inhabitants  of  this 
place   by   my  proclamation  of  the  13th  of   last 

October,  it  must  and  shall  come  down I 

shall  embrace  this  opportunity  of  warning  you 
against  making  an  improper  use  of  any  other  part 
of  (what  you  are  pleased  lo  call)  your  ground, 
for  you  may  rest  assured  that  every  house  or 
other  building  erected  upon  it  hereafter,  without 
the  permission — in  writing — of  the  Governor 
for  .the  time  being — except  such  building  and 
erection  as  shall  be  actually  on  purpose  for  the 
curing,  salting,  drying  and  husbanding  of  fish  .  . 
must  unavoidably  be  taken  down  and  removed,  in 
obedience  to  liis  Majesty's  said  commands.  And 
it  may  not  be  amiss  at  the  same  time  to  inform 
you,  I  am  also  directed  not  to  allow  any  posses- 
sion as  private  property  to  be  taken  of,  or  any 
right  of  property  whatever  to  be  acknowledged 
in  any  land  whatever  which  is  not  actually  em- 
ployed in  the  fishery." 

The  conduct  of  Governor  Milbanke  was  not 
exceptional ;  his  successor  Governor  Waldegrave 
wrote  in  the  same  strain  and  acted  in  the  same 
style.  In  a  letter  addressed  to  the  sheriff  in 
1797,  he  says:  "Your  having  suffered  Thomas 
Nevan  to  put  up  what  you  are  pleased  to  call  a 
few  sheds,  is  clearly  an  infraction  of  my  orders ; 


Condition  of  the  Fishermen. 


23 


■lie 

in 

as 
a 


you  will  tlierofore  direct  liim  to  romovo  thorn 
immediately;  which,  if  not  complied  with,  Idcsii-o 
that  yoii  will  yourself  see  this  order  executed. 
You  will  take  good  care  that  Jeremiah  Marroty 
and  John  Fitzgerald  do  not  erect  chimneys  to 
their  sheds,  or  even  light  fires  in  them  of  any 
kind."  The  parental  despotism  which  interfered 
with  the  building  of  houses  and  the  construction 
of  chimneys  naturally  extended  to  the  prices  of 
provisions.  Thus,  Governor  Edwards  having 
issued  a  decree  that  the  price  of  beef,  veal  and 
mutton  was  to  bo  \s.  per  lb.  and  Luke  Ryan 
having  sold  beef  at  Is.  Zd.  a  lb.,  the  latter  was 
fined  lOL  for  his  offence.  The  boatkeepers  at 
Harbour  Grace,  having  complained  of  the  mer- 
chants charging  too  much  for  provisions,  the 
Governor  ordered  that  the  prices  charged  there 
should  be  the  same  as  at  St.  Johns,  notwithstand- 
ing that  the  extra  carriage  to  Harbour  Grace 
necessitated  the  imposition  of  a  higher  charge  in 
order  to  reap  a  profit  corresponding  to  that  ob- 
tained at  St.  Johns.  Governor  Waldegrave 
recognized  the  fact  that  the  fishermen  had  a 
hard  struggle  for  subsistence.  He  describes  the 
fishermen,  in  a  letter  to  the  Duke  of  Portland,  as 
"  a  set  of  unfortunate  beings,  working  like  slaves, 
and  hazarding  their  lives,  when,  at  the  expiration 
of  their  term  (however  successful  their  exertions), 
they  find  themselves  not  only  without  gain,  but  so 


H  ?feii 


24 


England's  Oldest  Colony, 


deeply  indebted  as  forces  tliem  to  emif^rato,  or 
drives  them  to  despair."  The  foregoing  remarks 
on  the  condition  of  the  fishermen  were  elicited  by 
a  remonstrance  from  the  merchants  against  the 
fishermen  at  Burin  being  suffered  to  emigrate. 
Many  instances  occur  in  the  history  of  Newfound- 
land which  prompt  the  inquiry  whether  an  essen- 
tial difference  existed  between  the  relation  of  the 
fishermen  to  the  merchants  in  that  Island  and 
that  of  the  slaves  to  their  masters  in  the  West 
India  Islands  and  the  Southern  States  of  the 
Union  ? 

The  picture  given  of  the  condition  of  New- 
foundland at  the  end  of  the  last  century  is  not  a 
pleasing  one.  The  poorer  classes  were  in  great 
suffering  and  were  naturally  discontented  with 
their  hard  lot.  The  richer  classes  displayed,  ac- 
cording to  Governor  Waldegrave,  "  an  insolent 
idea  of  independence  (which  will  some  day  show 
itself  more  forcibly)  and  a  firm  resolution  to 
oppose  every  measmo  of  government  which  a 
Governor  may  th.i:!k  proper  to  propose  for  the 
general  benefit  of  tlie  Island."  One  of  the  reasons 
which  made  him  think  so  was  the  refusal  of  the 
mercliants  to  submit  to  taxation.  The  consump- 
tion of  rum  having  increased  to  a  great  extent, 
the  Governor  estimated  that  a  tax  of  sixpence 
a   gallon  levied  upon  the  rum  imported  would 


\\\' 


Increase  of  Pauperism, 


25 


a 

the 

)ns 

blie 

ip- 

Int, 

ice 

lid 


defray  tlie  entire  cost  of  the  Government  and 
that  it  would  be  fiiirer  to  do  this  tlian  to  call 
upon  the  Mother  Country  to  bear  the  burden. 
"VVlien  the  merchants  were  sounded  on  the  sub- 
ject, they  expressed  their  sentiments  in  a  letter 
which  is  a  curiosity  in  its  way.  Tlicy  stated  that 
they  would  be  "  extremely  concerned  to  see  any 
species  of  taxes  introduced  into  this  Island,  which 
would  inevitably  be  burdensome  and  inconvenient 
to  the  trade  and  fishery  in  genfiral,  and  we  trust 
that  in  the  wisdom  of  his  Majesty's  Ministers,  no 
such  innovation  will  take  place."  During  his 
Administration  an  attempt  was  made  to  provide 
relief  for  the  destitute,  a  fund  being  formed  for 
the  purpose  by  voluntary  subscription.  That 
plan  afterwards  gave  place  to  a  regular  system  of 
charity  from  funds  raised  by  taxation.  The  demand 
for  relief  has  gone  on  increasing  at  so  rapid  a 
rate  as  to  suggest  that  something  must  be 
seriously  wrong  in  the  system  which  leads  to 
such  a  result.  Two  generations  after  the  intro- 
duction of  the  palliative  which  Governor  Walde- 
grave  devised  for  the  succour  of  the  destitute,  one- 
third  of  the  public  expenditure  of  the  Colony  was 
absorbed  in  pauper  relief. 

The  retention  of  the  fisheries  on  the  Banks  of 
Newfoundland  in  British  hands  was  for  many 
years  the  great  object  of  British  statesmen.     The 


'I  ! 


Ill 

lil 

j'lii' 


26 


England's  Oldest  Colony, 


elder  Pitt,  in  one  of  his  impassioned  speeches, 
dechired  tbose  fisheries  to  be  so  valuable  to  the 
country  that  they  must  be  preserved  even  though 
foreign  soldiers  had  captured  the  Tower  of 
London.  Whatever  tended  to  promote  the  fish- 
eries was  favourably  regarded  by  the  British 
Government,  while  any  scheme  for  benefiting  the 
people  of  Newfoundland  was  either  regarded  with 
indifference  or  rejected  as  inopportune.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  the  Islanders  made  but  little 
progress ;  their  numbers  were  comparatively 
small ;  the  fixed  population  of  the  Island  did  not 
much  exceed  10,000  at  the  beginning  of  the 
present  century.  During  the  winter  season j  when 
the  fishery  was  over,  it  was  deemed  appropriate 
that  the  Governor  should  leave  the  Island.  It 
was  not  till  1818  that  Governor  Pickmore  broke 
through  the  established  rule  and  lived  there  all 
the  year  round.  Since  then  the  Governor  finds 
plenty  to  occupy  himself  in  winter  as  well  as  in 
summer,  and  the  office  itself  has  not  only  risen 
in  dignity,  but  has  also  been  illustrated  by  men  of 
great  capacity  and  distinction. 

The  slowness  with  which  this  Colony  made  its 
way  to  the  position  which  it  now  occupies  cannot 
be  better  exemplified  than  by  the  fact  that,  not 
till  1807,  was  a  newspaper  published  there.  Its 
modern  history  dates  from  1855  when  responsible 


Responsible  Government  Granted. 


27 


lb 

)k 


e 


all 

in 
5en 
of 


lita 

lOt 
lOt 

llts 


Government  was  granted.  Twenty-two  years 
earlier  a  Representative  Assembly  was  constituted. 
It  is  since  the  Colony  has  been  truly  self-govern- 
ing, that  its  progress  has  been  most  marked,  and 
that  its  dissensions  have  become  less  serious  and 
violent.  Although  a  laije  part  of  the  people 
from  the  earliest  days  belonged  to  the  Church 
of  Rome,  it  was  not  till  1784  that  a  Roman 
Catholic  priest  was  permitted  to  discharge  in 
public  the  duties  of  his  sacred  calling.  Till  1875, 
the  subject  of  religious  teaching  in  public  schools 
was  a  constant  source  of  discussion  and  bitter- 
ness. No  system  of  general  education  meeting 
with  approval,  the  young  were  prevented  from 
having  a  fair  start  in  life.  Now,  however, 
there  is  a  national  system  of  education  based 
on  the  plan  of  dividing  the  fund  voted  by  the 
Legislative  Assembly  among  the  several  bodies  in 
proportion  to  their  numbers,  and  thus  the  chief 
step  has  been  taken  to  ensure  that  future  genera- 
tions of  Newfoundlanders  will  be  wiser  than  their 
progenitors.  Other  changes  and  movements  in 
the  path  of  progress  will  be  noted  hereafter. 

II. 

Though  St.  Johns,  the  Capital  of  Newfoundland,  is 
about  1000  miles  nearer  the  United  Kingdom  than 


! 


I     I 


1 ' 


■■Baa 


28 


England's  Oldest  Colony. 


I 


New  York,  the  means  of  commimication  are  greater 
between  Liverpool  and  New  York  than  between 
Liverpool  and  St.  Johns.  An  Allan  steamer 
runs  direct  between  Newfoundland  and  the  United 
Kingdom  every  fortnight  during  nine  months  in 
the  year,  while  passengers  and  letters  are  con- 
veyed by  way  of  Halifax  during  the  other  three 
months.  If  the  Government  of  Newfoundland 
did  not  pay  the  Allan  Company  a  subsidy  of 
12,000/.  the  facilities  for  passing  from  the  Island 
of  Great  Britain  to  the  Island  of  Newfoundland 
would  be  even  less  than  they  are,  while  the  postal 
arrangements  would  be  as  primitive  as  in  the  days 
of  Queen  Elizabeth.  This  constitutes  one  of  the 
grievances,  referred  to  at  the  outset,  which  gives 
the  Islanders  greater  concern  than  the  climate. 
It  is  held  by  them  that  the  Mother  Country  ought 
at  least  to  contribute  something  towards  the  mail 
service  between  the  two  Islands. 

I  visited  Newfoundland  in  the  Allan  liner 
Caspian^  under  the  command  of  Captain  Trocks, 
an  experienced  sailor  and  excellent  man.  The 
Caspian  is  one  of  three  steamers  which  ply 
between  Liverpool  and  Baltimore,  touching  at  St. 
Johns  and  Halifax.  Two  thirds  of  my  fellow- 
passengers  were  Newfoundlanders,  all  of  whom 
were  firmly  of  opinion  that  St.  Johns  was  a  city 
second  to  none,  that  the  climate  of  the  Island  was 


t 


1 

a 
c 

T 
C 

ii 


Views  of  the  Islanders, 


29 


ler 

ks, 
'he 

1st. 

>w- 
lom 

ras 


unequalled  for  salubrity  and  tliat  the  Island  was 
as  nearly  perfect  as  any  other  spot  on  the  earth's 
surface.  When  it  was  suggested  that  improve- 
ments might  be  possible,  that  the  interior  of 
the  Island  should  be  thoroughly  explored,  that  its 
agricultural  and  mineral  resources  could  be  better 
developed,  and  that  railways  might  prove  of 
great  service  in  these  respects,  some  of  them 
scouted  the  very  notion  as  superlatively  absurd. 
It  seems  natural  for  Nev/'foundland  to  form  part 
of  the  Dominion  of  Canada ;  yet,  when  union 
was  proposed,  the  opposition  in  the  Island  was 
overwhelming.  Mr.  Bennett,  the  Premier  at 
that  time,  looked  upon  the  scheme  with  genuine 
horror,  and  he  laboured  with  mortifying  success 
to  convince  his  prejudiced  fellows  that  Confedera- 
tion would  be  succeeded  by  increased  taxation, 
their  virtual  enslavement  and  utter  ruin.  Many 
men  have  prospered  exceedingly  under  the  exist- 
ing Government  in  Newfoundland  and  they  are 
apprehensive  of  the  effects  of  any  change  and 
indisposed  to  hasten  it.  The  rich  merchants 
apparently  consider  that  everything  has  been 
ordered  for  the  best  in  the  best  of  all  islands, 
whilst  the  poor  are  too  ignorant  to  appreciate  the 
changes  which  would  prove  beneficial  and  too 
inert  to  agitate  for  them.  If  money  and  know- 
ledge were  more  equally  disseminated  the  aversion 


■1  • 


■ 


^^ 


mmmmifmm 


30 


England^ s  Oldest  Colony, 


\  \i 


I 


to  new  things  and  ideas  would  be  less,  wliile  tlie 
desire  to  know  more  about  the  Island  itself,  and 
contribute  towards  its  farther  development  would 
be  far  greater.  Extraordinary  though  the  state- 
ment may  seem,  it  is  literally  true  that  the  interior 
of  Newfoundland,  especially  towards  the  northern 
side,  is  as  undeveloped  a  region  as  the  middle  of 
Greenland,  and  the  heart  of  Africa. 

When  the  weather  is  propitious  the  approach 
to  the  Island  impresses  every  admirer  of  grand 
scenery.  I  was  told  that  the  spectacle  was  strik- 
ing ;  the  reality  exceeded  my  anticipations.  On 
either  hand,  as  far  as  the  eye  can  reach,  the  rocks 
which  rise  from  the  sea  to  the  height  of  several 
hundred  feet,  are  moulded  into  fantastic  forms  by 
the  incessant  dashing  against  them  of  the  Atlantic 
waves.  The  masses  of  floating  ice  play  a  part  in 
affecting  the  appearance  of  the  rocks.  Naviga- 
tion in  the  spring  is  rendered  hazardous  here 
owing  to  icebergs  and  fields  of  ice.  As  the  Caspian 
nears  the  land  it  is  difficult  to  understand  where 
the  entrance  occurs  into  the  famous  harbour  of  St. 
Johns  ;  it  is  not  till  the  steamer  is  comparatively 
close  in  shore  that  a  breach  is  seen  in  the  rock  bound 
coast,  which  is  220  fathoms  wide  at  the  inlet,  and 
95  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  Narrows  where  the 
harbour  is  reached,  this  harbour  being  a  sheet  of 
land-locked  deep  water,  a  mile  and  a  quarter  long 


The  Capital  of  Newfotmdland. 


31 


t.. 

y 

id 


of 


'g 


and  one-third  of  a  mile  wide.  With  the  exception 
of  Halifax,  there  is  no  finer  harbour  in  this  region 
of  the  world.  In  former  days  it  was  hard  for  a 
ship  to  run  the  gauntlet  of  forts  which  command 
the  Narrows.  If  the  old  fortifications  were  re- 
paired and  put  into  a  proper  state  of  defence  no 
hostile  force  could  pass  or  take  them.  St  Johns 
has  not  inaptly  been  styled  the  Gibraltar  of  the 
Atlantic. 

The  capital  of  Newfoundland  is  situated  on  the 
slope  of  a  hill.  Its  population  at  the  time  of  the 
last  census  was  30,574.  This  was  in  1874,  and 
and  it  showed  an  increase  over  the  census  taken 
in  1869  of  seventeen  hundred  persons.  As  there 
is  much  building  going  on,  it  may  be  assumed 
that  the  population  of  St  Johns  is  increasing  at  a 
satisfactory  rate.  Though  founded  so  long  ago 
as  the  year  1572,  the  city  has  none  of  the  marks  of 
age.  This  modern  look  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
houses  are  all  of  recent  date,  having  been  erected 
within  the  last  30  years.  More  than  once  the 
entire  city  has  been  swept  away  by  fire,  and  the 
last  time  this  occurred  the  impression  made  was 
so  profound  that  proper  precautions  are  now 
observed  to  hinder  a  recurrence  of  the  like  calamity. 
In  the  lower  streets,  where  an  outbreak  of  fire 
would  be  most  serious,  as  the  flames  would 
spread  from  them  to  the  buildings  in  the  upper 


\ 


; 


!■' 


•       t' 


32 


England's  Oldest  Colony, 


streets,  the  erection  of  wooden  structures  is 
absolutely  prohibited.  Moreover  an  ample 
service  of  water,  always  available,  has  been 
provided  for  the  extinction  of  a  fire  in  any  part 
of  the  city.  At  the  water's  level  there  are 
wharves  which  run  round  the  Bay.  They  are 
lined  with  stores  in  which  the  process  of  extract- 
ing oil  from  seals  is  carried  on,  and  with  ware- 
Louses  in  which  cod  are  packed  for  exportation. 
Bi  iud  the  wharves  on  the  North  side  is  Water 
Street,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  long,  wherein  are 
tl^pi'-Aipal  shops  and  merchant's  warehouses, 
the  post-office  and  the  Custom  House.  This 
street  has  the  uninviting  aspect  of  similar  streets 
in  seaport  towns,  the  services  of  a  scavenger 
being  obviously  required.  The  other  streets  are 
cleaner  and  they  contain  many  neat  houses  of 
brick  or  wood. 

The  most  conspicuous  edifice  in  St.  Johns, 
when  approached  from  the  sea,  is  the  Roman 
Catholic  Cathedral.  It  is  built  of  stone ;  its  form 
is  that  of  a  Latin  cross ;  its  extreme  length  is 
237  feet ;  it  has  two  towers  which  rise  to  the 
height  of  138  feet.  Internally  it  is  richly  orna- 
mented. Close  at  hand  the  Church  of  England 
Cathedral  is  now  in  course  of  erection  from  the 
desio^n  of  the  late  Sir  Gilbert  Scott.  Its  lono-th 
is  120  feet,  its  width  is  56  feet  and  its  tower  and 


Public  Buildings, 


33 


•th 
id 


I 


spire  are  to  be  180  feet  high.  The  nave  was 
finished  and  opened  for  divine  service  in  1852. 
At  that  time  tlie  cost  was  $200,000,  and  at  least 
another  $100,000  must  be  expended  before  the 
building  is  finished.  When  complete  in  all  its 
parts,  this  Cathedral  will  be  one  of  the  grandest 
piles  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  There  are 
other  churches  belonging  either  to  the  Roman 
Catholics  or  to  members  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land. The  Wesleyan  Methodists  possess  more 
than  one  church,  and  the  Presbyterians  who, 
though  small  in  number,  abound  in  intellect  and 
wealth,  have  recently  erected  a  very  tasteful 
stone  Church  at  a  cost  of  $")0,000.  Among  the 
public  buildings  which  attract  a  stranger's  notice 
is  the  AthenaBifm,  where  lectures  and  concerts 
take  place,  and  which  has  a  library  and  reading- 
room  for  the  use  of  the  members ;  it  is  the 
property  of  a  company  and  it  is  so  admirably 
managed  as  to  yield  a  dividend  to  its  proprietors. 
St.  Patrick's  Hall,  a  more  recent  structure,  is 
also  used  for  public  meetings.  No  public 
building  is  so  noticeable  at  night  as  the  Custom 
House  owing  to  the  large  red  light  which  shines 
from  the  upper  part  and  serves  as  a  beacon  to 
vessels  passing  through  the  Narrows  into  the 
Bay. 

The   Colonial   Building   or  Parliament  House 


1 


34 


England's  Oldest  Colony. 


and  the  Government  House  are  the  two  largest 
public    buildings.      They    are    situate     on     the 
platetm  which  stretches  for  some  distance  inland 
from  the  upper  part  of  the  city.     The  view  of  the 
surrounding  country  is  not  unlike  that  from  the 
elevated  ground  in   South  Devon  and  far  more 
picturesque  than  that  which  the  stranger  expects 
to  find  in  an  Island  which  has  been  depicted  as 
barren   and    unattractive.      The  eye  gazes  upon 
cultivated   fields,   clumps  of  trees,  villas  encom- 
passed with  gardens.     The  Colonial  Building  is 
surrounded  by  balsam  poplars.     The  building  is 
of  white  limestone  imported  from  Cork;  it  has  a 
stone  portico  supported  by  pillars,  the  front  re- 
sembling  that   of   the   British    Museum    in    its 
general   outline.     In   this    Building  the  staff  of 
some  of  the  government  departments  is  accommo- 
dated as  well  as  the  Legislative  Assembly  when 
that  body  is  in  session.     The   Upper  House  or 
Legislative  Council  numbers  15,  the  Lower  one, 
or  House  of  Assembly  numbers  31.     The  rule  in 
the  British  House  of  Commons  is  not  observed  in 
the  Newfoundland  House  of  Assembly,  as  to  the 
relative  positions  of  the  Ministry  and  the  Opposi- 
tion.    At  present  the  Newfoundland  Opposition 
occupy  seats  to  the  right  of  the  Speaker  and  the 
Ministry  to  the  left.  The  Ministry  may  sit  on  either 
side ;  the  other  members  keep  their  seats  irrespec- 


Legislative  Assembly. 


35 


tive  of  a  cliaiige  of  Government.  But  tlio  most 
comfortable  seats  are  on  the  Speaker's  left 
because  a  large  fireplace  is  at  that  side  of  the 
Chamber.  In  Newfoundland  politics,  the  party 
farther  from  the  fire  is  the  one  which  experiences 
the  "  Cold  shade  of  Opposition."  The  acoustic 
properties  of  the  Chamber  are  very  bad  owing, 
possibly,  to  the  great  height  of  the  ceiling  and  to 
the  intercepting  effect  of  a  largo  chandelier.  As 
it  was  found  that  the  reporters  of  the  Press  could 
not  hear  the  debates  in  the  gallery  set  apart  for 
for  them  at  the  end  opposite  to  the  Speaker, 
seats  have  been  provided  for  them  close  to  his 
chair,  the  members  of  the  Assembly  thinking  it 
better  that  reporters  should  be  admitted  to  the 
body  of  the  Chamber  than  that  their  speeches 
should  be  unrecorded.  The  qualification  for  a 
seat  in  either  House  of  Legislature  is  the  posses- 
sion of  an  income  not  less  than  §400  or  of 
property  to  the  nett  value  of  $2000.  Every  male 
person  who  has  attained  the  age  of  21  years  and 
has  occupied  a  dwelling-house  for  a  year  as 
tenant  or  proprietor  is  an  elector.  Votes  are 
recorded  openly  in  the  old  English  fashion. 

The  party  lines  were  drawn  between  Protestants 
and  Roman  Catholics  and,  strange  though  it  may 
seem,  the  Protestants  being  styled  Conservatives, 
and  the   Roman  Catholics,  Liberals.     It  would 

D  2 


MMiMhb.- 


I 


36 


EnglancTs  Oldest  Colony. 


have  surprised  the  late  Pope  Pius  the  Ninth,  ^/ho 
t^xecrated  the  very  epithet  Liberal,  to  have 
learned  that  his  devout  adlieronts  in  Newfound- 
land gloried  in  applying  it  to  each  other.  Happily, 
the  days  of  bitter  religious  disputes  have  passed 
away  in  this  Island.  I  have  already  stated  that 
the  question  of  appropriating  the  fund  for  edu- 
cating the  people  which  was  the  chief  subject  of 
contention  and  source  of  animosity  has  been 
amicably  adjusted  by  dividing  the  fund  among 
the  several  religious  denominations.  Another 
question  which  also  caused  strife  and  ill-feeling,  the 
right  to  control  the  burying-grounds,  has  been 
harmoniously  settled  by  each  body  having  pro- 
vided for  itself  a  place  for  burying  the  dead.  I 
noted  a  novelty  in  funerals  ;  this  consisted  in  the 
coffin,  which  was  borne  exposed  to  sight  on  a 
vehicle  shaped  like  a  cart,  being  painted  light 
blue. 

Government  House  divides  with  the  Colonial 
Building  the  honour  of  being  the  most  important 
in  the  Island.  It  is  one  of  the  plain  stone  build- 
ings which  Mr.  Euskia  has  characterized  and 
denounced  as  huge  boxes  with  holes  in  their  sides, 
but  which,  though  deficient  in  architectural  beauty, 
are  not  lacking  in  comfort.  The  grounds  about 
it  are  extensive  and  well  laid  out.  Sir  John 
Glover,  the  present  occupant  is  one  of  the  best 


I 


The  Soil  and  C/iinale. 


37 


Governors  wliich  tlio  Colony  lins  had ;  ho  has 
taken  great  pains  to  make  liiniself  acquainted  with 
the  scenery  and  resources  of  the  Island  ;  he  has 
outstripped  his  predecessors  in  this  respect  and  no 
native  has  a  stronger  faitli  than  his  as  to  its  future 
capabilities.  It  is  pleasant  to  be  able  to  add  that 
he  enjoys  the  popularity  among  all  classes  which 
he  richly  merits.  Before  passing  from  these 
official  buildings,  I  may  state  that  the  house  of 
Sir  William  Whiteway,  the  present  Prime  Minister, 
which  is  not  far  distant  from  them,  has  a  garden 
attached  to  it  which  charmed  me  greatly.  I  was 
struck  with  the  number  and  beauty  of  the  flowers 
in  all  the  private  gardens,  but  this  one  impressed 
me  the  most.  Amono^  other  familiar  Enoflish 
flowers,  I  saw  dahlias  in  fine  condition  and  looking 
as  if  the  climate  agreed  with  them.  The  condi- 
tion of  the  gardens  was  a  strong  testimony  not 
only  to  the  care  bestowed  upon  them,  but  also  to 
the  excellence  of  the  climate. 

That  the  soil  and  climate  of  Newfoundland  are 
really  good  is  a  statement  which  may  be  read  with 
scepticism.  The  common  opinion  is  unfavourable 
to  both,  and  this  opinion  is  based  i  pon  experience 
gained  near  the  coast.  It  is  a  transparent  absur- 
dity to  take  the  climate  of  Paris  as  representing 
that  of  all  France,  to  suppose  that  the  fogs  which 
sometimes  visit  London  spread  on  all  England,  to 


! 


38 


EnglancVs  Oldest  Colony. 


■  >> 


niaintaiii  that  tlie  weiithoi'  wliicli  prevails  in  tlie 
city  of  Now  York  is  the  Sf.rae  as  that  prevaiHnj^  in 
San  Francisco,  and  to  fancy  BerUn,  the  capital  of 
the  German  empire,  enjoying  the  natnra  'van- 
taf^es  wliich  have  made  the  vine-clad  slopes  of  the 
lihiiie  things  of  beauty  and  sources  of  wealth. 
Newfoundland  is  not  very  large,  yet  it  is  large 
enough  to  have  a  varied  climate  and  a  diversified 
soil.  Tlie  Island  is  nearly  the  same  size  as  England; 
its  extreme  length  is  419  miles  and,  at  the  widest 
part  its  width  is  about  300  ;  its  coast-line  extends 
•over  2000  miles  and  its  surface  over  40,000,000. 
Mr.  W.  E.  Cormack  who  traversed  the  Island  from 
East  to  West  in  1822,  being  the  first  whit'  Tian 
who  did  so,  has  left  a  vivid  picture  of  v  he 
saw  after  he  had  penetrated  the  dense  forest  which 
intercepted  his  path  westward  and  when  standing 
on  an  eminence,  he  obtained  a  view  of  the  interior : 

"  What  a  contrast  did  this  present  to  the  conjec- 
tures entertained  of  Newfoundland  !  The  hitherto 
mysterious  interior  lay  unfolded  upon  us — a  bound- 
less scene — emerald  surface — a  vast  basin.  The 
eye  strides  again  and  again  over  a  succession  of 
northerly  and  southerly  ranges  of  green  plains, 
marbled  with  woods  and  lakes  of  every  form  and 
extent,  a  picture  of  all  the  luxurious  scenes  of 
national  cultivation  receding  into  invisibleness.  .  . 
The  great  external  features  of  the  eastern  portion 
of  the  main  body  of  the  Island  are  seen  from  these 


Ncii[foimdland  Raihvay. 


%% 


10 

in 

1- 

1. 
e 
i 


coninianding  lioii^hts.  Ovci'laiid  t'omnuniiciition 
between  tli(^  bays  ol"  tlie  east,  north  and  south 
Coasts,  it  appears,  niitilit  easily  be  (»stal)lished.  .  . 
Wo  descended  into  the  bosom  of  the  interior. 
The  pUiins  whicli  slione  so  brilliantly  arc  stef)pes 
or  savannas,  composed  of  fine  black  compact  peat 
mould,  formed  by  the  growth  and  decay  of  mosses. 
They  arc  in  the  form  of  extensive  gently  nnduL.t- 
ing  beds,  stretching  northward  and  southward, 
■with  running  waters  and  lakes,  skirted  with  woods, 
lying  between  them.  Their  yellow  green  surfaces 
are  sometimes  iminterrupted  by  either  tree,  shrub, 
rock,  or  any  irregularity,  for  more  than  ten  miles. 
They  are  chequered  everywhere  upon  the  surface 
by  deep  beaten  deer  p.iths  and  are  in  reality  mag- 
nificent natural  deer  parks,  adorned  with  wood 
and  water." 

Not  till  a  few  years  ago  was  it  determined  to 
open  up  the  interior  of  the  Island  by  construct- 
ing a  railway  across  it.  A  preliminary  survey 
was  made  in  18G8  at  the  instance  and  cost  of  Mr. 
Sandford  Fleming,  the  eminent  Canadian  Engi- 
neer. In  1875,  the  Legislature  passed  an  Act  for 
a  more  extended  survey.  The  reports  of  the 
Engineers  confirmed  all  that  had  been  previously 
written  in  praise  of  the  Island,  while  showing  how 
easily  it  was  to  construct  raihvay s  there.  Nearly 
the  whole  of  the  interior  is  undulating,  is  covered 
in  parts  with  forest,  is  intersected  with  rivers  and 
is  strewn  with  lakes.     One  third  is  water.     The 


40 


England's  Oldest  Colony, 


greater  part  of  the  soil  is  adapted  for  the  growth 
of  all  kinds  of  vegetables,  most  kinds  of  grain 
and  even  tobacco.  On  the  Avestern  side  the  soil  is 
richer  and  the  climate  is  finer  than  in  the  penin- 
sula of  Avalon  at  the  East.  If  the  earliest 
settlement  had  taken  place  at  the  western  shore 
the  Island  might  now  sustain  a  large  population, 
living  by  the  pursuit  of  agriculture  alone. 

Mr.  Alexander  Murray,  the  Government  Geolo- 
gist of  Newfoundland,  has  carefully  analyzed  and 
summarized  the  reports  of  the  railway  engineers. 
This  summary  is  the  more  valuable  and  instruc- 
tive because  Mr.  Murray  is  personally  acquainted 
with  a  large  portion  of  the  ground  passed  over 
and  able  to  estimate  the  statements  made  regard- 
ing it.  He  says,  with  regard  to  St.  George's  Bay 
on  the  west  side,  that  it  forms  a  convenient  har- 
bour and  terminus  for  the  trade  of  the  adjacent 
mineral  region.  Twenty  miles  from  the  harbour 
there  is  a   coal-field   thirty  miles  long   and   ten 

miles  broad.  "  That  the  Geological  character  of 
the  country  over  a  vast  area,  extended  to  the 
northward  of  Bonne  Bay,  gives  promise  of  the 
presence  of  metallic  ores,  seems  well  assured  ;  that 
the  Humber  Valley  contains  marbles  of  nearly  every 
shade  of  colour — some  of  the  saccharine  variety 
vieing  in  purity  with  the  far-famed  statuary  of 
Carrara — is  well  known,  and,  finally,  that  there  is 
nothing  less  than  1000  square  miles  of  country — 


Agricultu7'at  Prospects, 


41 


Sf 

A 

1* 


uie 


including  tlie  Humber  Valley — scattered  over 
region,  in  every  respect  worthy  of  being  reclaimed, 
I  re-assert  with  contidence.  .  .  As  regards  climate 
and  the  possibilities  of  iigricrltnre  being  properly 
pursued,  Newfoundland  is  not,  by  any  means,  so 
bad' as  has  often  been  represented.  True  indeed 
it  is  that  the  eastern  sea-board  and  this  (St. 
Johns)  immediate  part  of  it,  in  particular,  suffers 
much  from  the  effects  of  the  cold  arctic  currents 
which,  ice-laden,  pass  along  their  shores ;  but 
even  here  in  St.  Johns  the  drawbacks  of  a  late 
spring  are  greatly  compensated  by  the  unusually 
lonsf  continuance  of  fine  weather  in  the  Fall, 
whicli  allows  barley  and  oats  to  ripen  well  as  late 
as  the  middle  or  end  of  October ;  and  if  we  may 
be  allowed  to  judge  from  the  experience  of  those 
who  have  spent  much  time  in  the  interior  (among 
whom  I  am  one)  the  rigours  of  the  coast  are  to  a 
great  extent  modified  there,  and  fogs  are  exceed- 
ingly rare.  .  .  Everyone,  nowadays,  appears  ready 
to  admit  tliau  the  Bay  of  Notre  Dame  is  destined, 
to  develope  itself  into  a  great  mining^  region. 
Supposing,  then,  that  there  were  some  half  a 
dozen  such  establishments  as  Tilt  Cove  and  Betts 
Cove  in  Notre  Dame  Bay,  the  mining  population 
alone  would  amount  to  many  thousands  of  souls, 
to  say  nothing  of  horses,  cattle  and  the  like.  .  . 
There  are,  beyond  all  doubt,  many  places  border- 
ing on  the  great  Bay  of  Notre  Dame  where  oats 
and  barley,  turnips  and  jjotatoes  can  be  cultivated 
as  well  as  in  any  part  of  Nova  Scotia  and  grass 
crops  can  be  raised  as  well,  if  not  better,  as  iu 
the  most  favoured  regions  of  the  Dominion." 


I', 


i 


1 

■>■  ' 

w 


42 


England's  Oldest  Colony, 


I 


After  exhaustive  debates  in  the  Newfoundland 
Legislature  and  acrimonious  discussion  in  the 
Press  an  Act  was  passed  on  the  18th  of  April 
1880  authorizing  the  construction  of  a  narrow- 
guage  railway  across  the  Island  with  branches  to 
the  more  important  points  at  a  total  cost  of 
§5,000,000.  The  ground  upon  w,  ch  this  legis- 
lative enactment  are  based  may  be  found  in  a 
Report  of  the  Joint  Committee  of  the  Legislative 
Council  and  Assembly.  That  Report  sets  forth 
that  the  future  of  the  growing  population  of  the 
Island  is  a  matter  of  grave  solicitude ;  that, 
though  the  yield  of  the  fisheries  has  increased, 
tliis  has  not  been  in  proportion  to  the  increase  in 
the  population ;  that  it  has  been  proved  how 
much  can  be  gained  by  a  further  development  of 
mining  and  agriculture,  the  mining  industry 
having  been  very  profitable  and  the  most 
prosperous  of  the  labouring  people  being  the 
cultivators  of  land  in  the  vicinity  of  St.  Johns 
whore  the  conditions  of  fertility  are  far  inferior  to 
those  in  the  interior  and  the  AYestern  side  of  the 
Island;  that,  if  a  railway  were  made,  large  tracts 
in  the  interior  might  be  turned  to  such  good 
account  for  grazing  purposes,  the  Colony  might 
export  cattle  to  England  instead  of  importing 
cattle  from  Nova  Scotia.  To  the  valid  reasons 
why   a   railway    should   be    made  is  added  the 


opposition  to  a  Railway. 


43 


curious  fact  that  tliis  Colony  is  the  only  one  of 
like  importance  wherein  no  railway  exists. 

The  passage  of  an  Act  to  make  this  railway 
did  not  end  the  opposition  to  the  project.  I  was 
surprised  to  find  men  of  intelligence  and  position 
disapproving  of  the  railway  and  speaking  with 
approval  of  the  attack  made  by  some  excited 
women  on  the  Surveyors.  Looking  over  the 
files  of  the  newspapers,  I  meet  with  many  letters 
denouncing  the  whole  matter  as  a  dangerous 
innovation  and  treating  this  railway  in  the  same 
terms  with  which  railways  were  treated  by 
English  landowners  and  others  when  they  were 
first  introduced  into  England.  The  burden  of 
the  strain  is,  what  was  good  enough  for  our 
fathers  is  good  enough  for  us ;  that,  if  improve- 
ments are  required  they  will  come  naturally  in 
due  course  of  time  without  any  special  legis- 
lation or  taxation  being  necessary.  One  of  the 
extreme  opponents  of  the  railway  clenclies  his 
argument  by  stating  that  no  return  has  yet  been 
obtained  for  the  money  expended  in  making  a 
preliminary  survey.  With  such  a  man  the  gods 
would  argue  in  vain.  An  explanation  of  much 
that  was  said  and  done  on  this  subject  which 
seemed  to  me  incomprehensible,  occurs  in  a 
number  of  the  Tairwi  and  Terra  Nova  Uerald. 
There  it  is  written  that  "  the  sole  opposition  to 


] 


li 
I 

ii 

m 


44 


EnglancPs  Oldest  Colony, 


I 


: 


tlie  Railroad  lias  been  created  in  the  capital  with 
the  view  of  getting  up  a  party  cry.  All  the  old 
shibboleths  are  dead.  Party  itself  is  dead  or 
dying;  and  something  inusi  be  started  to  give 
animation  to  the  next  General  Election^  and  afford 
some  chance  for  new  aspirants  to  Legislative 
honours  to  become  lawmakers."  There  is  more 
method  in  the  madness  of  such  a  party  cry  than 
is  obvious  at  first  sight.  It  is  certain  that  the 
railway  -will  not  be  finished  for  some  years  and, 
whilst  under  construction  nothing  will  be  so 
apparent  as  the  fact  of  its  cost.  Even  when 
finished,  it  will  differ  from  nearly  every  railway 
if  it  should  prove  immediately  remunerative. 
Thus  the  opponents  will  be  able  to  refer  to  their 
opposition  to  it  as  to  a  fulfilled  prophecy  and 
may  even  succeed  in  getting  people  to  elect  them 
to  the  Legislature  in  order  that  they  may  cure 
the  mischief  which  they  have  foretold.  Mean- 
time, despite  covert  and  open  opposition  the 
railway  policy  of  Sir  William  Whiteway  and 
the  Administration  of  which  he  is  the  head,  has 
triumphed. 

This  spring  the  Government  entered  into  a 
contract,  which  has  been  sanctioned  by  the 
LetTislature  for  the  construction  of  a  narrow- 
guage  line  of  three  feet  six  inches  from  St.  Johns 
to  Hall's  Bay  on  the  north-east  coast,  the  distance 


Newspaper  Pi^ess. 


45 


] 


being  about  340  miles.  Branches  are  to  run  to 
Harbour  Grace  and  Brigus.  At  a  future  day  a 
branch  may  be  made  as  far  as  St.  George's  Bay  on 
the  western  shore.  A  New  York  Syndicate  has 
undertaken  the  construction  and  working  of  the 
hue,  the  line  to  be  constructed  with  in  five  years  and 
worked  by  the  Company — conditionally  on  receiv- 
ing an  annual  subsidy  of  $1 80,000  for  35  years  and 
a  grant  of  land,  consisting  of  every  alternate  sec- 
tion one  mile  long  and  eight  miles  deep  along  the 
line  of  railway.  Unless  the  calculations  made 
should  prove  entirely  misleading  the  Newfound- 
land Railway  Company  ought  to  be  profitable  to 
its  founders  and  beneficial  to  the  Island  in  which 
it  will  supply  intercommunication  by  rail. 

I  should  convey  an  erroneous  impression  if  the 
foregoing  remarks  about  the  railway  led  any 
reader  to  suppose  that  I  have  formed  a  low 
estimate  of  the  Newspaper  Press  of  Newfound- 
land. These  journals  contain  foolish  writing 
now  and  then,  as  is  the  case  with  journals  in 
other  places.  When  the  writing  in  them  is  the 
most  extreme  and  severe  in  tone  it  is  least  easy 
to  imagine  that  the  writer  is  perfectly  in  earnest 
and  that  he  is  not  intentionally  resorting  to 
exaggeration.  Certainly  it  was  with  a  feeling  of 
amusement  that  I  read  in  a  number  of  The  Neics 
Letter,   to   quote    but  a  single  instance   out   of 


I  i 


46 


England's  Oldest  Colony. 


11 


many,  lliat  certain  figures  respecting  the  public 
debt  of  tlie  Colony  "  show  the  hopeless  incapacity 
of  the  present  Government  to  rise  superior  to  the 
vulgar  hankering  for  official  place  and  salary.'* 
The  strong  language  which  is  a  character- 
istic of  these  newspapers,  may  be  in  perfect 
accord  with  the  taste  of  their  readers.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  habit,  the  writers  express  a  great 
deal  more  than  they  really  mean,  having  no  in- 
tention, when  they  style  a  man  a  scoundrel  who 
is  robbing  the  public,  to  convey  any  other  idea 
than  that  they  disagree  with  his  political 
opinions.  Sixteen  newspapers  are  published  in 
the  Colony ;  my  collection  comprises  thirteen  of 
them.  The  oldest  is  the  Royal  Gazette,  estab- 
lished in  1807,  and  having  the  motto  "Fear  God: 
honour  the  king."  It  contains  a  good  selection 
of  news  as  well  as  the  official  documents  which 
are  not  light  or  very  interesting  reading.  The 
Ngios  Letter,  which  was  the  youngest  at  the  time 
I  made  my  collection,  is  "  devoted  to  the  interests 
of  the  Liberal  party  in  Newfoundland."  •  The 
Patriot  and  Terra  Nova  Herald,  which  has  been 
published  for  more  than  thirty  years,  prints  its 
programme  in  a  metrical  and  a  prose  form,  the 
first  being 

"  Here  shall  the  press  the  people's  rights  maintain, 
Unawed  by  inliueuce  and  uubribed  by  gain ; 


Notes  on  Newspapers. 

riore  patriot  truth  her  glorious  procopts  draw, 
Pledged  to  religion,  liberty  and  Law." 


47 


The  second  being  "  Be  just  and  fear  not.  Let 
all  the  ends  thou  aim'st  at  be  thy  God's,  thy 
country's  and  truth's."  The  importance  of  de- 
veloping the  resources  of  the  Island  and  the 
means  for  doing  so  are  clearly  apprehended  and 
set  forth  by  the  conductors  of  this  journal.  The 
Evening  Telegram  is  a  sheet  to  which  a  writer 
siofninor  himself  "  Au  Revoir  "  contributes  letters 
opposing  all  improvements,  whether  they  relate  to 
sanitary  arrangements  or  railway  communication, 
disparaging  the  politicians  and  professional 
classes  and  eulogizing  the  merchants  as  "  the  old 
pioneers  of  the  country"  and  holding  them  up  as 
the  only  persons  whose  wishes  and  interests 
ought  to  be  considered  and  advanced.  In  The 
Morning  Chronicle  the  policy  of  considering  the 
good  of  the  people  at  large  is  skilfully  advocated 
and  pungent  letters  have  appeared  in  reply  to  the 
tirades  of  "Au  Revoir."  The  North  Star  is 
another  of  the  journals  which  treat  patriotism  as 
synonymous  with  the  well-being  of  the  whole 
community.  TJie  Times,  which  has  been  in 
existence  for  upwards  of  a  generation,  takes  as 
its  motto  "  For  the  Queen,  the  Constitution  and 
the  people."  The  Newfoundlander ;  The  Terra 
Nova    Advocate;    The    Public    Ledger,   and    The 


9P 


48 


England's  Oldest  Colony, 


Temperance  Journal  are  other  journals  published 
in  St.  Johns.  At  Harbour  Grace,  the  next  place 
in  size  to  the  capital,  the  people  are  enlightened 
and  guided  by  the  Standard^  a  large  and  well 
conducted  sheet,  while  at  two  other  "  Outports," 
as  all  the  towns  save  St.  Johns  are  designated. 
The  TwiUingate  Sun  and  The  Garhonear  Herald 
are  quite  as  good  newspapers  as  many  published 
in  the  capital. 

Though  the  newspaper  Press  does  credit  to  the 
Colony,  yet  the  credit  would  be  greater  still  if  a 
larger  percentage  of  the  people  were  able  to  profit 
by  any  printed  pages.  According  to  the  census 
of  1876,  it  appears  that  20,758  children  did  not 
attend  school  and  that  18,935  did,  the  figures  for 
the  corresponding  cases  in  the  census  of  1869 
being  16,249  and  18,813.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that 
the  next  census  will  show  more  satisfactory  results. 
The  reports  for  1879  of  the  Inspectors  of  Public 
Schools  exhibit  an  attendance  at  school  of  15,315. 
These  Reports  are  from  Mr.  M.  J.  Kelly, 
Superintendent  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Schools, 
of  the  Rev.  G.  S.  Milligan  and  the  Rev.  "William 
Pilot,  the  former  being  Superintendent  of  the 
Methodist,  Congregational  and  Presbyterian,  and 
the  latter  of  the  Church  of  England  Schools.  Mr. 
Kelly  considers  the  schools  under  his  supervision 
to  be  in  a  satisfactory  state.     Both  Mr.  Milligan 


Compulsory  Education. 


49 


and  Mr.  Pilot  aofree  in  thinkinGr  that,  till  atten- 
dance  is  made  compulsory,  a  large  number  of 
children  will  grow  up  ignorant  of  the  rudiments 
of  education.  Mr.  Milligan  holds  that,  while  public 
opinion  is  growing  in  favour  of  educating  all  the 
children,  yet  that  many  persons  will  not  send 
their  children  to  school  unless  compelled  by  law 
to  do  so.  He  notes  that  the  poorest  parents  are 
the  most  apathetic.  He  instances  one  case  where 
the  teacher  was  in  fault ;  saying  that  "  he  was 
industrious,  but  that  his  education  was  defective." 
Another  entry  is  to  the  effect  that  "  at  Perry's 
Cove,  the  day  not  being  fine  and  the  teacher  aged, 
school  was  not  open."  He  adds  that  this  worthy 
old  man  has  since  retired  from  a  position  for 
which  old  acje  had  long:  unfitted  him.  Mr  Pilot  is 
emphatic  in  condemning  the  practice  of  employing 
incompetent  teachers,  taking  care  to  point  out 
that  the  remedy  is  to  pay  adequate  salaries  in 
order  to  ensure  good  service.  Like  Mr.  Milligan, 
he  bewails  the  apathy  and  indifference  of  parents 
respecting  their  children's  education,  rightly 
attributing  it  to  the  fact  that  the  parents  are  too 
ignorant  themselves  to  appreciate  the  advantage 
of  knowledge.  His  opinion  is  that  '*  nothinfr  short 
of  compulsory  attendance  will  bring  about  the 
consummation  devoutly  to  be  wished,  viz.,  the 
general  education  of  all."     It  is  clear   that  the 

E 


^ ^ 


50 


EttglancVs  Oldest  Colony. 


existing  arrangement  as  to  education  is  but  pro- 
visional. Through  its  operation  sectarian  jealousy 
and  strife  have  ceased.  But,  until  all  the  children 
under  twelve  are  obliged  to  attend  school  for  a" 
given  time,  it  cannot  be  maintained  that  New- 
foundland enjoys  all  the  benefits  which  flow  from 
a  comprehensive  and  thorough  system  of  national 
education. 

Though  the  Island  of  Newfoundland  is  as  large 
as  England,  the  population  numbers  no  more 
than  158,985;  in  Labrador  which  is  united  to  it 
there  are  2416  persons.  In  1809  the  total  popu- 
lation was  140,530,  so  that  the  increase  in  New- 
foundland and  Labrador  between  1809  and  1('^76 
was  14,830.  Considering  the  nature  and  extent 
of  the  Island,  the  number  of  persons  inhabiting  it 
is  absurdly  small.  The  mass  of  the  people  find 
it  hard  to  earn  daily  bread.  Upwards  of  $100,000 
are  expended  annually  in  relieving  the  poor.  The 
misfortune  of  the  people  consists  in  the  fishery 
being  their  only  means  of  livelihood  and  that 
they  do  not  seem  disposed  to  embrace  any 
others.  Indeed  they  look  with  suspicion  upon 
any  harvest  except  that  of  the  sea.  They  have 
a  saying  that  an  acre  of  the  sea  is  worth  a 
thousand  acres  of  land. 

It  has  been  proved  that  the  Island  abounds  in 
excellent   timber,  that   there  is    grazing-ground 


il 


k 


Principal  Imports, 


51 


sufficient  for  rearing  tlionsancls  of  cattle,  tlint 
there  is  liiiid  enough  to  grow  all  the  grain  re- 
quired for  home  conaum[)tion  and  leave  a  large 
surplus  for  export.  I  have  examined  the  Customs 
lleturns  for  1879  and  I  observe  that  the  following 
articles,  all  of  which  might  bo  produced  in  the 
Island,  were  imported  to  the  extent  specified  : 
Flour  30.3,483  barrels;  oatmeal  1884  barrels; 
meat  and  poultry  to  the  value  of  $28,479 ;  peas 
4445  barrels ;  salt  42,943  tons ;  timber  341 
tons  ;  potatoes  109,380  bushels ;  other  vegetables 
24,428  bushels  ;  hay  and  straw  59G  tons  ;  shingles 
42,943  tons.  These  are  some  of  the  articles 
which  ought  to  be  produced  in  the  Island  and 
which  might  be  exported  in  place  of  being  im- 
ported. Among  the  curiosities  of  those  returns 
is  an  entry  among  the  exports  of  27  gallons  of 
Spanish  red  wine  having  been  sent  to  Spain. 
This  is  a  new  version  of  sending  coal  to  New- 
castle. 

If  the  Reformation  had  taken  place  at  an  earlier 
day  and  been  universal,  or  had  not  the  Church  of 
Rome  made  a  fish  diet  obligatory  on  many  days 
in  the  year,  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  Newfound- 
land fisheries  or  those  of  the  Cornish  fisheries 
either,  would  have  attained  their  present  value. 
Next  to  the  United  Kingdom,  the  country  to 
which  Newfoundland  exports  the  most  is  Brazi\ 

E  2 


Sa 


Fui^laniVs  Oldest  Colony. 


I    subjoin    flio   lisifc    wliicli    I    luivo    nrrnnoiod    in 
accor(];mco  with  llio  Mtnouiits  exported  toencli:  — 


Tho  United  Kiiv^fdoiii     . 
r.ni/il   .... 

I'dltlll^Ml 

Spain   .... 

Tlio  Dominion  of  Cnnaila 

United  States  of  America 

IJiitisli  West  Indies 

Italy     .... 

(Jil)raltar 

lland)ni\' 

Frentdi  West  Indies 

Sicily   .... 

Saintti  Pic'rre 

^laui'itius      .         . 

Jeisey  .         ,         .  . 

^Madeira 

France 


.«c2,0(;7,r);v; 

l.;5s;{,si!) 

7i;5.:.7i 

nst,427 

.3  ](;,(;;{() 

2(iS,()18 
2:U.S18 

i;{|,H)3 

84,SK) 
40.i;?9 

4(),i(;!) 

lL',012 
f<,!)03 
8,071 
8,1!)  9 
7,1(»1 


2,148 

By  rirrauginf^  the  imports  in  the  order  of  vahies, 
it  will  be  seen  that  several  countries,  to  which  the 
exports  are  the  largest,  send  the  smallest  pro- 
portion of  goods  in  return. 

The  Dominion  of  Canada 
The  Uinted  lviii<:dom    , 
United  States  of  America 
Britisli  West  Indies 
Spain  .... 
French  \yest  Indies 
Portn^'al 

Jersey  .  •  .  . 

Sieilv    .... 


Ilandjiirg 
France 


$2,258,071 

2.180,703 

2,140,345 

329,220 

172,704 

101,738 

2r  1)80 
'  374 
11,417 

4,502 
005 


Four  places,  Brazil,  Gibraltar,  Madeira,  Mauritius, 
to  which  the  exports  amount  to  $1,484,4 10  send 


Mines  and  Mhii'm^, 


53 


in 


10 


t 


riolliintj^  hack  to  NcwfoimdlaTKl.  Tlio  result  i?i 
tlijit  tlio  valiio  of  the  total  expoi'ts  is  $.~,918,1)2  t, 
wliilo  that  of  the  imports  is  Jii;7,2()l,002. 

Amounc  the  exports  arc  28, 105  tons  of  copper 
oro  valued  at  $-51], 21)0  and  1112^  tons  of  rc'^rulus 
valued  at  $  !•  l',-")00.  These  are  the  results  of 
miniug  at  Betts  Cove  and  Little  IJay  carried  on 
by  a  company  formed  by  Mr.  EUershausen  of 
Nova  Scotia.  In  the  brief  space  of  five  years 
Newfoundland  has  risen  to  the  sixth  ])lace  among 
the  cop[)er-prodncing  regions  of  the  globe.  Other 
minerals  have  been  discovered  in  sutlicient  quanti- 
ties to  justify  their  extraction  ;  these  include  gold 
and  silver,  nickel,  lead  and  iron.  Coal-beds  of 
vast  extent,  though  known  to  exist,  have  not  yet 
been  worked.  It  seems  probable,  however,  that 
when  the  mineral  deposits  on  the  Island  are 
systematically  explored  and  made  available  it  may 
become  as  famons  and  envied  for  its  mines  as  for 
its  fisheries.  At  present  the  merchants,  Avho  are 
the  capitalists  of  Newfoundland,  give  their  atten- 
tion to  the  fisheries  and  neglect  alike  its  mineral 
and  agricultural  resources. 

A  company  has  been  formed  for  prosecuting 
copper- mining  on  an  extensive  scale.  It  is  styled 
the  Newfoundland  Consolidated  Copper  Mining 
Company  and  its  originators  are  citizens  of  the 
United  States,  the  head  office  being  in  New  York. 


H 


1 

I 


54 


England's  Oldest  Colony, 


Mr.  Ellcrshanscn  transferred  to  this  company  the 
properties  over  which  he  had  controL  Other 
properties  have  been  acquired  and  the  undertaking, 
as  a  whole,  is  gigantic.  The  capital  is  in  keeping, 
being  three  million  dollars.  Should  this  company 
be  as  successful  as  its  sanguine  promoters  antici- 
pate, a  great  impetus  will  be  given  to  mining  in 
Newfoundland. 

As  the  Island  is  peopled  and  if  a  railway  be 
constructed  to  St.  George's  Bay,  a  question  of  in- 
ternational relations  will  have  to  be  finally  deter- 
mined. Between  Newfoundland  and  the  United 
States  frequent  disputes  have  arisen  concerning 
the  fisheries,  but  these  are  even  less  complicated 
and  more  easily  settled  than  the  chronic  misun- 
derstanding with  France  on  the  same  subject. 

The  misunderstanding  known  as  the  Fortune 
Bay  outrage  has  been  dispelled  by  Great  Britain 
paying  15,000/.  in  full  of  all  demands  for  compen- 
sation from  the  New  England  fishermen  who  were 
maltreated  by  the  Newfoundlanders.  Other  dif- 
ferences of  opinion  as  to  the  true  interpretation  of 
clauses  in  the  Treaty  of  AYashington  may  yet  be 
luirmonized  by  diplomacy.  That  treaty  is  as  note- 
worthy as  other  similar  documents  for  the  vagueness 
of  its  terms.  This  appears  to  be  the  great  object  of 
diplomatists.  Just  as  plumbers  seem  to  take  care 
to  leave  some  damaged  pipes  when  they  are  called 


French  Claims, 


55 


•  ^1 


in  to  put  the  water  supply  to  a  house  in  good  order 
and  do  so  with  the  hope  of  being  soon  summoned 
to  repair  the  miscbief  they  have  wrought,  so  diplo- 
matists continue  to  leave  treaties  in  such  a  con- 
dition that  controversy  arises  as  to  their  precise 
purport  and  fresh  negotiations  have  to  be  under- 
taken with  a  view  to  make  their  terms  intelligible 
and  satisfactory  to  the  persons  affected.  The  treaty 
of  Utrecht,  which  defines  the  rights  of  the  French 
at  the  coast  of  Newfoundland,  might  be  regarded 
as  an  exception  to  the  rule,  as  it  is  as  clear  as  any 
instrument  of  the  kind.  Yet  it  has  been  held  by 
the  French  to  confer  rio^hts  which  do  not  seem  to 
have  occurred  to  its  fraraers. 

By  that  treaty  the  French  enjoy  the  right,  con- 
firmed by  subsequent  tr(\ities,  of  fishing  off  the 
west  coast  of  Newfoundland  and  of  drying  fish  on 
the  shore,  concurrently  with  the  subjects  of  the 
British  Sovereign.  This  has  been  interpreted  by 
French  diplomatists  to  mean  an  exclusive  right 
both  to  the  fishery  and  to  the  occupation  of  the 
westerr  shore.  As  Lord  Palmerston  observed, 
in  a  masterly  despatch  on  the  subject  to  Count 
Sebastiani  in  1838,  a  concurrent  right  of  en- 
joyment cannot  possibly  mean  an  exclusive  right 
to  a  particular  privilege ;  he  added,  "  the  claim 
put  forward  on  the  part  of  France  is  founded 
simply  upon  inference,  and  upon  an  assumed  in- 


Wi 


56 


England's  Oldest  Colony, 


terpr(?tation  of  words."  Yet  tlie  Frencli  have 
protested  against  mining  operations  on  the  plea 
that  the  land  must  be  reserved  for  their  exclusive 
use.  The  district  about  which  this  dispute  exists 
is  the  favourite  resort  of  persons  who  have  im- 
perative reasons  for  disliking  the  police  and  who 
like  this  region  because  policemen  are  unknown  in 
it.  The  points  at  issue  between  France  and  this 
country  concerning  Newfoundland  become  more 
embarrassing  as  time  passes  away.  In  such  a 
case  as  this,  delay  is  unquestionably  dangerous. 
The  sooner  a  clear  and  definite  understanding  is 
arrived  at  the  better  for  all  parties.  By  a  system 
of  bounties  the  French  have  given  their  fishermen 
a  practical  monopoly  of  fishing  on  the  Banks  of 
Newfoundland ;  not  a  single  British  vessel  being 
able  to  compete  with  them.  This  they  are  free  to 
do,  but  no  valid  authority  has  yet  been  shown  by 
them  for  excluding  British  subjects  from  British 
soil.  AVhen  the  matter  is  again  dealt  with,  it 
would  be  wise  if  the  statesmen  of  Newfoundland 
were  represented  on  any  commission  which  might 
be  empowered  to  act ;  the  question  immediately 
concerns  them  and  it  is  one  with  which  they  are 
intimately  acquainted. 

I  have  shown  how  much  there  is  in  Newfound- 
land to  attract  and  enrich  the  woodman,  the 
farmer  and  the  miner,  in  addition  to  the  original 


Fish^  Game  and  Dogs. 


57 


attraction  which  has  made  it  the  great  home  of 
fishermen.  It  may  yet  be  iiuml)ered  among  the  spots 
to  which  invahds  liasten  in  order  to  regain  liealth 
by  drinking  mineral  water.  Tliere  are  many 
mineral  springs  in  the  IsLmd  which  only  require 
pufling  to  be  popular.  A  chalybeate  spring  at 
Logic  Bay,  near  St.  Johns,  resembles  the  spring 
at  Bath  which  used  to  be  most  in  reqnest  when 
that  place  was  tlie  fashionable  resort  for  all  sorts 
and  conditions  of  invahds.  The  seeker  after  sport 
will  there  find  as  good  opportunities  of  gratifying 
his  taste  as  he  can  in  the  hunting-grounds  of  the 
Far  West.  The  rivers  abound  in  salmon,  the 
inland  hikes  teem  with  trout;  cariboo  are  still 
numerous  and  bears  are  often  met  with. 
Feathered  game  are  plentiful.  Anyone  who  desires 
to  combine  sport  with  profit  can  hunt  wolves. 
Under  an  Act  of  the  Legislature  a  reward  of 
$12  is  paid  for  the  head  of  every  wolf  killed. 
Mosquitt  3  and  other  insects  are  even  greater 
plagues  than  wolves,  causing  more  annoyance  and 
being  less  easily  exterminated.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  Island  enjoys  imnumity  from  frogs, 
toads,  lizards  and  all  venomous  reptiles.  It  has 
long  been  noted  for  its  dogs.  In  the  earlier  days  of 
its  history  there  is  frequent  mention  of  wild  cats 
and  hawks  being  brought  from  Newfoundland  to 
England.     Later  the  Newfoundland  dog  grew  into 


^^1 


\h 


E- 


ff; 


58 


England^ s  Oldest  Colony. 


.lil' 


repute  and  was  desci'vcMlly  prized.  When  the 
Prince  of  Wales  visited  the  Island  in  1861  a 
splendid  dog  of  pure  breed  was  presented  to  him 
which  he  appropriately  named  Cabot.  The 
Islanders  cannot  make  many  such  gifts  now.  They 
have  innumerable  dogs,  but  most  of  them  are 
mongrels  which  no  rational  person  would  accept 
as  a  gift. 

The  resources  of  *'  Enoland's  Oldest  Colony " 
are  greater ;  its  soil  and  climate  are  far  better ; 
its  natural  attractions  are  more  varied,  than  is 
commonly  supposed.  Among  these  I  do  not 
number  the  public  debt  of  $1,240,990,  bearing 
interest  at  the  moderate  rate  of_  4  per  cent.  Yet 
no  independent  state  or  self-governing  colony 
has  a  debt  which  has  been  incurred  for  more 
useful  objects  and  which  imposes  so  light  and 
temporary  a  burden  upon  the  community.  The 
bonds,  which  were  issued  at  par,  are  at  a  premium. 
In  the  statement  of  accounts  for  last  year,  the 
Auditor  remarks  that  the  public  debt  of  the  Colony 
is  "  held  solely  by  the  people  of  Newfoundland." 
The  Islanders  ought  to  be  prouder  of  this  fact 
tlian  of  the  many  advantages  which  Nature  has 
placed  within  their  reach. 


CHAPTER  11. 


THE  LAND  OF   THE  "  BLUE  NOSES. 


)> 


TnK  Hoyal  Province  of  Nova  Scotia,  as  its  in- 
liabitants  proudly  style  it,  is  familiar  to  readers  of 
"  Sam  Slick  "  as  the  home  of  "  the  Blue  Noses." 
The  late  Mr.  Justice  lialiburton,  the  author  of 
*'  Sam  Slick,"  was  a  member  of  the  House  of 
Assembly  of  Nova  Scotia  ^Yheu  a  young  man,  and 
he  died,  at  an  advanced  age,  a  member  of  the 
Parliament  of  the  United  Kingdom.  He  did  not 
object  to  tlie  nickname  which  the  Yankees  had 
given  to  his  fellow-countrymen  ;  on  the  contrary 
he  thought  it  an  honour  to  be  "  a  Blue  Nose." 
One  of  the  most  accomplished  and  estimable  of 
New  England  poets  has  embalmed  in  harmonious 
verse  a  sad  and  romantic  episode  in  Nova  Scotia's 
early  history.  Indeed,  the  legeudiiry  history  of 
this  Province  has  received  a  circulation  through 
]\Jr.  Longfellow's  "Evangeline"  far  wider 
than  that  of  its  authentic  and  more  prusaic 
records. 


:.iM 


6o 


The  Land  of  the  "  Blue  Noses.^^ 


I" 

I II' 


Sir  AVilliam  Alexap.der,  the  founder  of  Nova 
Scotia,  -was  accounted  a  good  poet  in  his  day.  His 
verses  pleased  James  the  First,  wlio  called  liiin 
"my  pliilosopliical  poet."  He  was  a  consummate 
courtier ;  he  excelled  in  the  art  of  persuading 
Princes  to  confer  upon  him  substantial  tokens  of 
their  favour.  The  Province  of  Nova  Scotia  was  a 
gift  to  him  from  James  the  First.  His  son 
Charles  made  the  further  grant  of  the  power  to 
create  Baronets  to  the  number  of  150  as  a  means 
of  promoting  the  settlement  of  the  Province. 
Each  Baronet  was  to  acquire  GOOO  acres  of  land 
in  return  for  a  payment  of  loO/.  A  special 
privilege,  which  thoy  much  valued  and  which 
some  of  their  contemporai-ies  deservedly  ridiculed, 
was  to  wear  a  yellow  ribbon  round  their  necks 
from  which  hung  the  badge  of  their  order.  This 
excited  the  jealously  of  the  Irish  and  English 
Baronets  Avho  petitioned  that  they,  too,  might  dis- 
play a  similar  token  of  their  rank.  Sir  William 
Alexander  did  not  find  his  Province  or  his  order 
of  Baronets  so  remunerative  as  the  permission  to 
coin  base  money.  With  the  wealth  thus  acquired 
he  built  himself  a  fine  house  at  Stirling.  Sir 
AVilliam's  wealth  would  have  been  greater  still  if 
the  people  of  Scotland  would  have  consented  to 
adopt  in  their  churches  the  Metrical  version  of 
the  Psalms   made   by   James   the    First   and  re- 


The  Foimdc7'  of  Nova  Scotia. 


6i 


vised  by  him.  Chiirles  the  First  ordered  that 
the  version  should  be  used,  but  tlie  people  ob- 
jecting to  it  as  decidedly  as  they  did  to  Laud's 
Prayer  Book,  the  monopoly  of  printing"  tliat  version 
for  thirty-one  years,  conferred  u])on  Sir  William 
Alexander,  did  not  profit  the  "  philosophical  poet." 
He  died  bearing:  the  title  of  Earl  of  Stii-lino: 
without  having  effected  anything  else  for  Nova 
Scotia  than  to  give  it  a  name.  Through  great 
tribulation  that  Province  has  slowly  attained  its 
present  condition  as  the  chief  among  the  Maritime 
Provinces  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada. 

When  the  Confederation  of  Canada  was  achieved 
in  18(37,  a  strong  protest  was  made  by  Nova  Sco- 
tians  asTfainst  becomino-  members  of  the  Dominion. 
The  Hon.  Joseph  Howe,  the  soul  and  leader  of 
the  malcontents  visited  England  and  enlisted  Mr. 
Bright's  powerful  advocacy  in  appealing  to  Par- 
liament to  detach  Nova  Scotia  from  the  new  Con- 
federation, The  attempt  failed  ;  Mr.  How^e  was 
pacified,  after  what  were  called  "  better  terms  " 
had  been  offered  to  the  Province  and  then  he 
accepted  office  in  the  Government  of  the  Do- 
minion. The  controversy  as  to  the  advantage  of 
Confederation  has  not  yet  lost  all  bitterness,  or 
ceased  to  excite  and  divide  the  people  of  this 
Province.  Superadded  to  it  is  the  question  of 
that  "  National  Policy"  which  Sir  John  Macdonald 


62 


The  Land  of  the  "Blue  Noses,'* 


it  I 


.',  fi; 


lie'' 


devised  cand  to  wliieli  the  Dominion  Parliament 
Las  given  effect  at  the  instance  of  his  Administra- 
tion. "  National  Policy "  is  tlie  old-fjishioned 
"  Protection  to  native  industry "  under  a  new 
form  and  with  a  new  name.  Some  Nova  Scotians 
declare  that  the  evils  of  Confederation  have  been 
intensified  by  the  effects  of  protection.  Others 
are  of  opinion  that  the  severe  depression  felt  in 
business  circles  durinf^  the  last  few  years  is  due 
to  general  causes  affecting  the  entire  commercial 
world.  For  six  or  seven  years  after  Confedera- 
tion, the  Province  enjoyed  extraordinary  pros- 
perity. Large  sums  were  then  expended  in  con- 
structing railways,  cutting  canals,  erecting  public 
buildings  throughout  the  Dominion,  and  tliis 
Province  shared  in  the  business  activity  which 
ensued  when  so  much  borrowed  capital  was  put 
into  circulation.  Merchants  and  others  lived  up 
to  their  means  ;  sometimes  they  lived  beyond  them 
in  the  belief  that  the  gains  of  the  future  would 
more  than  meet  any  liability  they  might  incur, 
and  thus,  when  the  day  of  reckoning  suddenly  and 
unexpectedly  arrived,  the  reaction  was  the  more 
disastrous  because  the  expansion  had  been  so 
extreme.  It  is  a  gross  blunder  to  blame  Con- 
federation for  this.  Nor  would  it  be  discreet  to 
pronounce  that  the  new  panacea  for  making 
everybody  rich  and  contented  has  utterly  failed. 


The  ''National  Policy r 


63 


A  protective  policy  onglit  to  succeed  for  a  time, 
and  it  Avill  continue  popular  so  long  as  the  peo{)le 
at  large  are  satisfied  to  pay  the  price.  An  indi- 
vidual who  is  rich  enough  can  have  any  luxury 
■which  money  will  buy.  Protection  is  a  luxury 
which  only  a  very  wealthy  or  a  very  self-denying 
nation  can  afford  to  pay  for.  As  yet  the  influence 
of  the  "  National  "  or  protective  ])olicy  of  Canada 
has  had  so  slig^ht  an  effect  in  this  Province  that 
although  the  Nova  Scotians  rail  against  it,  they 
are  influenced  by  their  fears  rather  than  by  their 
actual  experience. 

The  most  doleful  and  dispiriting  account  which 
I  received  as  to  the  position  and  prospects  of 
Nova  Scotia  was  supplied  by  a  Virginian  gentle- 
man, who  played  a  leading  part  in  the  ti^agedy  of 
secession  and  who  has  made  his  home  in  Halifax. 
His  heart  is  in  his  native  State  but  his  money  is 
invested  in  the  capital  of  Nova  Scotia.  He  assured 
me  that  the  Nova  Scotians  had  ceased  to  be  loyal 
to  the  British  Empire  and  would  have  no  objec- 
tion to  become  citizens  of  the  North  American 
Republic.  I  failed  to  ascei'tain  any  gr'ound  for 
this  conclusion ;  but  I  heard  that,  house  property 
having  fallen  in  value,  this  gentleman's  invested 
capital  has  been  reduced  for  the  moment.  Should 
land  and  houses  rise  in  price  he  may  cliange  his 
views.     Despite  his  dissatisfaction  with  the  policy 


>  •  'I 


64 


The  Land  of  the  '^  Bhic  Noses. 


>» 


ii 


of  the  Government  under  wliicli  lie  had  voluntarily 
chosen  to  hve,  lie  had  no  fault  to  find  ^vith  the 
Province  as  a  place  of  abode;  on  the  contrary,  he 
prai.sed  both  the  soil  and  climate  in  strong  terms. 
Natives  of  the  country  deplored  the  eniigration 
from  it  of  young  men  to  the  United  States.  Com- 
munication between  Halifax  and  Boston  in  Mas- 
sachusetts is  frequent  and  the  journey  can  be  made 
for  a  small  outlay.  The  temptation  is  extreme  for 
yonng  Nova  Scotians,  who  are  dissatisfied  with 
their  home  prospects,  to  proceed  to  New  England  in 
order  to  begin  life  there  under  conditions  which 
they  consider  more  favourable.  They  are  influenced 
by  the  feeling  which  causes  the  country  bumpkin 
to  quit  his  quiet  English  village  and  hasten  to 
London  where  he  hopes  to  find  the  streets  paved 
with  gold.  Many  Nova  Scotians  learn  b}^  sad 
experience  that,  if  they  are  better  paid  abroad, 
they  must  work  harder  and  expend  more  than  at 
home,  and  the  numbers  of  the  disenchanted  and 
disappointed  who  return  are  said  to  balance  the 
numbers  wdio  depart  elate  and  over  sanguine. 

Intelligent  Nova  Scotians  whose  opinions  on 
oilier  subjects  would  have  commanded  my  respect, 
spoke  concerning  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway 
with  a  recklessness  which  astonished  me.  They 
laboured  under  the  delusion  that  the  construction 
of  the  R-ailway  would  either  ruin  the  Dominion  or 


'•Old  Fossils." 


65 


else  tliat  the  oper.ition  of  tlie  railwny  would  benefit 
tliG  Western  Provinces  exclusively.  II:  a  citizen 
of  New  York  were  to  uso  similar  lauG:uaGfe  in 
reference  to  the  Union  Pacific  Uailway,liis  hearers 
would  naturally  conclude  that  he  had  lost  his  wits. 
The  truth  is  that  Halifax  will  profit  by  a  railway 
through  Canada  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific 
just  as  New  York  city  has  profited  by  the  railway 
between  that  city  and  San  Francisco. 

The  evidence  which  I  have  collected  leads  me 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  Nova  Scotians  are  too 
ready  to  grumble  and  are  deficient  in  a  patriotic 
faith  in  the  resources  of  Canada  and  in  the 
capacity  of  her  sons  to  develope  them.  In  Halifax 
there  are  many  men  who  are  irreverently  but  not 
inaptly  termed  **  old  fossils."  They  have  made 
enough  money  upon  which  to  live  in  comfort. 
They  have  invested  it  in  non-speculative  securities 
yielding  them  a  moderate  return.  They  have 
adequate  capital  wherewith  to  embark  in  any  enter- 
prise, but  they  lack  the  requisite  courage  for  sup- 
porting novel  undertakings  with  their  money,  even 
though  the  chance  of  doubling  their  capital  and  in- 
come by  so  doing  may  not  be  slight.  These  men 
are  foremost  in  complaining  of  capital  and  energy 
being  lacking  to  develope  Nova  Scotia's  resources. 
It  has  been  proved  to  demonstration  that  the  gold 
fields  are  as  rich  and  as  safe  investments  as  the 

J)' 


66 


The  Land  of  tJie  "  Blue  Noses.** 


coal  pita  from  wliicli  advonturoiiK  tuiMvo  and 
Eiiolisli  capitalists  have  derived  largo  profits. 
The  Nova  Scotian  capitalist  hesitates  to  take 
shares  in  a  gold-mine.  AVhon  a  gold-mine  of 
undoubted  richness  is  discovered  and  tested,  it 
usually  passes  into  the  hands  of  a  shrewd  and 
enterprising  United  States  capitalist,  and  when 
the  Nova  Scotians  see  him  becoming  rich  by  his 
venture  they  blame  Confederation  or  the  Govern- 
ment for  marring  the  prosperity  of  their  Province. 
After  the  discovery  of  gold  in  1861  at  Tangier 
River,  forty  miles  to  the  east  of  Halifax,  there 
was  an  outburst  of  foolish  speculation.  AVhen 
over-cautious  men  lose  their  heads,  they  are  fre- 
quently guilty  of  inconceivable  follies.  Experience 
then  taught  the  lesson  that  a  gold-mine  may  ab- 
sorb more  of  the  precious  metal  than  it  can  ever 
yield,  and  that  it  is  necessary  to  exercise  judg- 
ment in  choosing  a  mine  and  skill  in  working  it. 
The  Nova  Scotians  seem  disposed  to  act  like  a 
boy  who,  having  burned  his  fingers,  refuses  ever 
after  to  warm  his  hands  at  the  fire.  Instead  of 
profiting,  in  a  rational  way,  by  what  has  occurred, 
their  prevailing  feeling  now  is  to  eschew  mining 
altogether  and  let  strangers  step  in  and  carry  off 
the  golden  prizes. 

From  the  year  that  the  extraction  of  gold  began 
down  to  the  present  time,  the  total  yield  has  been 


i 


Cold-Mines. 


67 


\ 


i 


307,n72  ounces.  TiRst-  year  1  1,000  onncoa  wore 
rcturnod.  Tlio  avoriiw  caniinjy  of  each  iiniior 
lias  exceeded  $000  [iniiually ;  the  earniiij^  last 
year  exceeded  $700.  These  figures  contrast 
most  favourably  with  returns  from  otlier  regions 
of  this  Continent  where  gold-mining  is  a  re- 
munerative industry.  Yet  the  room  for  improve- 
ment here  is  very  great.  The  waste  in  extracting 
gold  is  enormous.  It  is  indisputable  that  a  yield 
of  five  pennyweiglits  per  ton  is  ample  for  paying 
the  miner  who  uses  the  most  improved  machinery 
and  follows  tlic  most  modern  processes.  Gold- 
mines in  Bra/.il  and  Australia,  where  tlie  return 
is  at  that  rate,  pay  large  profits,  yet  in  Nova 
Scotia  tlic  complaint  is  that  no  profit  can  bo 
obtained  unless  the  quartz  yield  ten  pennyweights 
per  ton,  seven  being  a  common  yield  and  seven 
being  found  inadequate  for  profitable  working. 

Mr.  Selwyn,  the  Director  of  the  Geological 
Survey  of  Canada  w^lio,  for  sixteen  years  before 
filling  that  oflTice,  filled  an  analogous  one  in  Vic- 
toria, has  shown  how  close  are  many  of  the 
geological  resemblances  between  the  Provinces  of 
Victoria  and  Nova  Scotia.  lie  also  shows  how 
wasteful  the  system  of  mining  is  in  the  latter 
Province,  many  mines  there  wasting  as  much  as 
would  suffice  to  return  dividends  of  10  per  cent, 
in  Victoria,  and  the  machinery  in  the  Australian 

F  2 


68 


TJie  Land  of  the  "  Blue  Noscs.^* 


■  i     ' 


mines  doing  nearly  douljle  as  rancli  Avork  as  tliat 
employed  in  the  Nova  Scotian.  Ifc  is  clear  that 
skill  and  proper  macliineiy  are  lacking.  Were 
tlie  Nova  Scotian  gold-mines  properly  developed 
they  wonld  take  rank  among  the  most  remunera- 
tive, favourite  and  stable  investments  of  the 
Province.  The  c:old-bearin<2:  reo:ion  of  1^1  ova 
Scotia  extends  over  8000  square  miles. 

Coal  and  Iron  are  two  products  of  which  Nova 
Scotia  possesses  an  abundance.  The  capital  in- 
vested in  coal  winning  is  estimated  at$l 2,000,000  ; 
the  number  of  pits  worked  is  twenty-five.  Pictou, 
whicli  is  the  principal  town  in  the  coal  district,  is 
next  in  importance  to  Halifax.  It  is  picturesquely 
situated  on  a  point  jutting  into  a  land-locked 
harbour  wherein  hundreds  of  vessels  can  be  con- 
Vfmicntly  moored.  The  passage  from  Northum- 
berland Straits  into  the  harbour  is  only  200 
yards  across  at  the  entrance.  On  either  side  the 
eye  rests  upon  a  stretch  of  fine  land  dotted  with 
trees  and  divided  into  farms.  The  town  of 
Pictou  was  founded  in  1707  bv  some  emiorrants 
from  Philadelpliia.  Five  years  afterwards  thirty 
fatnilies  arrived  from  tlie  Scottish  Iliii'lilands  with 
the  object  of  establishing  a  settlement,  but,  being 
unable  to  agree  with  the  first  comers  as  to  the 
right  of  ownership  in  the  land,  they  went  else- 
where.     Other   families   from    Scotland   arrived 


i 


Nova  Scotian  Collieries, 


69 


here  at  a  later  day,  and  the  majority  of  the  people 
still  bear  Scottish  names  and  speak  witli  the 
accent  o£  their  forefathers.  The  demand  for 
Nova  Scotian  coal  is  greater  now  than  in  former 
years.  The  trade  with  the  United  States,  which 
was  almost  extinct  for  a  time,  has  revived  again. 
I  saw  three  United  States  vessels  taking  in  cargoes, 
a  sight  which,  as  I  was  informed,  was  both  nn- 
nsual  and  welcome.  When  the  Eeciprocity  Treaty 
was  in  force,  Nova  Scotian  coal  was  chiefly  ex- 
ported to  the  United  States;  since  the  imposition 
of  a  heavy  import  duty,  that  market  has  ceased 
to  be  the  principal  one.  The  coal-owners  com- 
plain that  the  present  Canadian  taritl'  does  not 
give  them  that  monopoly  of  supplying  the  Western 
Provinces  of  the  Dominion  which  they  expected 
to  have  under  the  "  National  policy."  The  citizens 
of  Ontario  still  buy  coal  imported  from  the  United 
States,  while  the  citizens  of  New  England  still 
buy  coal  imported  from  Nova  Scotia.  A  protective 
taritl'  cannot  always  subserve  the  design  of  its 
framers  either  by  diverting  all  trade  into  a 
particular  channel  or  in  diffusing  universal  happi- 
ness. 

A  short  ride  from  South  Pictou  brings  the 
traveller  to  New  Glasgow,  which  resembles  the 
ancient  and  flourishing  city  on  the  banks  of  the 
Clyde  in  being  over-hung  with  smoke.     Not  far 


70 


The  Land  of  the  "  Blue  Noses.''* 


•\ 


distant  are  the  Albion  pits,  from  wliicli  large 
quantities  of  coal  have  been  taken  for  half  a 
century,  ami  which  are  expected  to  continue 
productive  for  many  years  to  come.  The  seam 
there  is  tliirty  feet  thick.  At  New  Glasgow  there 
are  iron  fonndiies,  tanneries,  a  pottery  and  ship- 
building yards.  The  largest  Nova  Scotian  ships 
have  been  built  hci-o.  This  industry  was  not 
brisk  at  the  time  of  my  visit ;  I  saw  only  one 
ship  on  the  stocks.  The  demand  for  wooden 
vessels  is  falling  off  and,  if  the  ship-builders  h^rn 
w^ould  regain  their  supremacy,  they  must  build 
iron  ships.  They  have  so  many  facilities  for  so 
doing  that,  by  taking  due  advantage  of  them,  the 
iron  vessels  of  Glasofow  in  Nova  Scotia  mig^ht  be 
in  as  great  request  as  those  of  Glasgow  in  Old 
Scotland.  The  Island  of  Cape  Breton,  another 
part  of  this  Province  wherein  coal  abounds,  is 
about  a  mile  from  the  mainland,  being  separated 
from  it  by  the  Gut  of  Canso.  The  scenery  on 
this  island,  which  attracts  tourists  quite  as  much 
as  the  coal-fields  attract  ca})italists,  is  on  a  very 
grand  scale.  Readers  of  Horace  Walpole's 
writiugs  will  remember  an  amusing  reference  to 
this  Island.  Walpole  asserts  that  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle,  the  Prime  Minister  at  the  time,  having 
learnt  to  his  surpi'ise  that  Cape  Breton  was  an 
Island,  he  could  not  rest  till  he  liad  communi- 


Scenery  and  Cliniate. 


71 


cated  tlie  extraordinary  fact  to  every  member  of 
the  Cabinet. 

From  Cape  Breton  at  tbe  north  to  Yarmouth 
at  the  south,  this  Province  covers  an  area  of 
nearly  22,000  square  miles,  out  of  which  3000 
square  miles  are  covered  with  lakes.  It  has  a 
coast-line  of  1200  miles  and  a  large  number 'of 
excellent  harbours.  Within  the  limits  of  the 
Province,  which  is  about  300  miles  long  by  from 
100  to  50  in  breadth,  there  are  great  varieties  of 
soil  and  climate ;  the  temperature  is  8°  higher  in 
the  western  than  in  the  eastern  Counties.  It  has 
plenty  of  shagsry  wood,  but  no  mountains  like 
those  in  Old  Scotia.  The  height  of  the  hills  does 
not  exceed  1000  feet.  The  richest  and  most 
picturesque  part  of  the  Province  is  the  broad 
valley  between  Windsor  and  Annapolis,  where  the 
Acadians  passed  an  existence  which  resembles 
the  visions  of  the  golden  age. 

The  historian  of  Nova  Scotia,  depicting  their 
state  in  1755,  tells  how  these  Acadians,  to  the 
number  of  18,000  tilled  the  fields,  reaped  crops, 
and  reared  cattle  and  poultry  in  this  happy 
valley.  Their  ordinary  drink  was  beer  or  cyder. 
They  clad  themselves  in  garments  spun  from  the 
flax  which  they  cultivated  or  from  the  fleece  of 
tlieir  sheep.  They  rarely  went  to  law,  accepting 
the  decision   of  the  elders  in  cases  of  dispute. 


"TV 


72 


The  Land  of  the  "  Dhie  Noses." 


i 

,1 

■  1 

ll 

1  ■ 

,1 

i 

< 

\ 

1 

i 
i 

1' 


There  was  no  permnnent  destitution  among  tliem, 
t1ie  unfortunate  being  succoured  by  those  richer 
in  the  world's  goods.  They  lived  as  a  large  and 
happy  family ;  early  marriages  were  the  rule  and 
the  vices  of  great  cities  were  unknown.  The 
picture  of  these  people  before  their  expulsion 
makes  their  fate  seem  the  more  pitiful;  but  it 
may  be  that  the  picture  is  too  higldy  coloured 
and  that  the  Annapolis  A^alloy  has  never  been  the 
scene  of  an  earthly  paradise.  It  is  certainly  a 
pleasant  and  fruitful  land  where  tlie  inhabitants 
have  every  reason  to  enjoy  life.  The  soil  is  very 
fertile  and  admirably  adapted  for  the  growth  of 
fruit  trees.  Indeed,  the  apples  grown  :ii  the 
Annapolis  Valley  are  very  fine  and  are  highly 
prized  by  good  judges.  When  the  apple  trees 
are  in  blossom  the  prospect  resembles  that 
between  Heidelberg  and  Frankfort  in  the  spring 
time  when  the  cherry  trees  are  in  blossom.  It  is 
a  peculiarity  of  this  Province  to  offer  great 
variety  of  scenery  and  of  means  of  livelihood. 
The  farmer,  gardener,  miner  and  fisherman  can 
all  find  profitable  employment.  The  fisheries 
are  very  valuable ;  the  fish  caught  comprise  cod, 
mackerel,  -.had,  hake,  herring  and  salmon ;  the 
annual  return  from  the  fisheries  is  not  much  under 
a  million  sterling.  Twenty  thousand  men  are 
occupied  in  fishing.     The  land  is  specially  well 


TJic  Capital  of  Nova  Scotia. 


73 


% 


suited  for  tliG  cuUurc  of  such  vegetables  as  pota- 
toes and  turnips,  and  of  such  grains  as  wlicat, 
barley,  oats,  rye,  buckwheat  and  maize.  The 
number  of  acres  of  good  land  is  estimated  at 
10,000,000.  Of  these  less  than  2,000,000  are 
under  cultivation.  This  large,  fertile  and  salu- 
brious Province,  wherein  there  is  ample  scope  for 
millions  of  people,  has  less  than  400,000  in- 
habitants. 

Halifax  is  the  capital  of  Nova  Scotia.  It  has 
many  natural  advantages  among  which  beauty  of 
situation  is  the  most  striking  and  that  of 
possessing  the  finest  harbour  on  the  coast  is  the 
most  useful.  It  was  founded  on  the  2-jth  July 
1749.  Kot  till  the  close  of  the  American 
revolutionary  war  did  it  secure  a  large  acces- 
sion of  citizens.  Then,  however,  it  became  a 
refuge  for  the  United  Empire  Loyalists  who 
abandoned  or  were  expelled  from  their  homes  in 
the  United  States.  These  men  displayed  great 
vigour  and  fortitude  in  promoting  the  interests 
of  this  Province.  They  gave  an  impetus  to  the 
capital  wdiich  it  has  not  quite  lost  or  which,  if 
lost  is  owin<y  to  the  accident  of  their  descendants 
not  inheriting  all  their  virtues  and  all  their 
talents.  My  opinion  is  that  the  sh^ggisliness  of 
the  generation  now  passing  away  will  give  ])lacf3 
to    greater   energy   in   the   generation   which   is 


' 


■  'I 


i      III 


i       ^      I' 


74 


T/ie  Land  of  the  "  Blue  Noses" 


growing  up  and  tlifit  tlie  new  comers  will  revive 
the  best  traditions  of  Nova  Scotia  by  Avorking  as 
streiHiously  to  make  it  an  ornament  to  tlie 
Dominion  as  their  forefathers  did  to  render  it  a 
model  Province. 

The  capital  of  Nova  Scotia  is  the  only  place  in 
the  Dominion  where  a  Britis]i  garrison  is  main- 
tained. It  is  the  only  city  on  the  North 
American  Continent  where  a  Government  dock- 
yard is  kept  np  by  the  United  Kingdom.  The 
dockyard  covers  fourteen  acres.  Men-of-war  are 
always  to  be  seen  in  the  harbour,  soldiers  of  all 
arms  are  to  be  seen  in  the  streets  and  these 
things  give  liveliness  to  the  scene.  The  citizens 
have  sometimes  reason  to  reg^ret  that  soldiers  are 
stationed  here.  When  a  discontented  private  de- 
termines to  do  the  utmost  mischief  with  the  least 
suffering  to  himself,  he  smashes  the  costly  plate- 
glass  windows  in  the  principal  shops.  I  once 
passed  along  a  street  where  this  wanton  destruc- 
tion of  property  was  perpetrated  so  quickly  that 
no  one  could  prevent  it.  The  shopkeeper  w^ould 
get  no  compensation  if  the  glass  were  uninsured. 
The  soldier  would  probably  be  imprisoned  for  a 
time  and  then  dismissed  tlie  service.  However 
unwelcome  tlie  presence  of  the  troops  may  some- 
times be,  I  am  sure  that  a  proposal  to  withdraw 
them  altogether  would  not  please  everybody.     As 


I 


Halifax  Hospitality, 


75 


I 


a  garrison  town  Halifax  luis  many  cliarms  for 
strangers,  especially  for  citizens  of  tlie  United 
States.  Of  late  years  many  of  these  citizens 
spend  tlie  summer  months  here,  the  climate  at 
that  season  beinir  excellent  and  the   sea-batliintr 


'!D 


being  all  that  can  be  desired.  If  a  lai'ge  and 
well-appointed  hotel  were  built  at  or  near  to  the 
lovely  North  West  Arm,  which  is  the  rural  part 
of  Halifax  and  where  many  charming  villas  are 
built,  the  influx  of  strangers  would  be  greater 
than  ever.  The  Halifax  Hotel,  though  good  and 
comfortable,  docs  not  meet  the  re({uirements  of 
exacting  visitors  from  the  United  States.  Al- 
though the  hotels  are  disappointing,  no  fault  can 
be  found  with  the  Halifax  Club.  It  is  admirably 
manan^ed.  The  buildino;  is  conmiodious  and  the 
stranger  who,  like  myself,  is  honoured  by  being 
temporarily  allowed  to  use  it,  finds  his  stay  in 
Halifax  rendered  far  more  agreeable,  while  his 
reo-ret  at  leavin":  it  is  far  more  keen.  What 
Marryat  wrote  in  VeU'v  Shnple  is  still  ti'ue  :  "  All 
sailors  ai^ree  in  assertinix  that  Halifax  is  one  of 

CD  O 

the  most  delightful  ports  in  which  a  ship  can 
anchor.  Everybody  is  hospitable,  cheerful,  and 
wilHng  to  amuse  and  be  amused." 

The  Capital  of  Nova  Scotia  is  not  oidy  a  splendid 
port  for  commerce,  but  it  is  also  one  of  the  strongest 
fortified  places  in  the  world.     The  Duke  of  Kent, 


T 


)l 


1 1\ 


ii 

II 


1^ 


■; 


76 


T/ie  Land  of  the  "  Blue  Noses'' 


the  fnthor  of  the  Queen,  planned  tlie  Citadel  and 
laid  its  foundations.  There  is  a  belief  that  the 
ground  upon  which  the  Citadel  stands  is  rich  in 
gold  quartz.  If  this  be  well  founded,  then  the 
defenders  of  the  Citadel  have  a  twofold  treasure 
to  guard.  The  fortifications  on  the  islands  in 
the  Bay  are  so  well  planned  and  executed  that  a 
hostile  attack  upon  the  city  may  be  regarded 
with  equaniinity,  because  it  can  be  repelled  with 
certainty.  Through  the  courtesy  of  Colonel 
Dray  son,  an  officer  of  large  experience  and  multi- 
farious accomplishmeuts  who  was  in  command  of 
the  artillery  at  the  time  of  my  visit,  1  visited 
the  fortificalions  and  was  permitted  to  inspect 
them  in  detail.  Nothing  that  the  science  of  war 
could  suggest  in  the  way  of  defence  has  been 
overlooked  in  their  arrangement  or  neglected  iu 
their  supervision.  Everything  is  in  perfect  order 
and  available  at  any  moment.  Should  an  enemy 
attack  them,  he  Avill  have  a  painfully  warm  re- 
ception and  he  Avill  egregiously  err  if  he  should 
count  upon  finding  the  defenders  napping.  Visi- 
tors from  the  United  States  are  shown  whatever 
they  want  to  see  and  they  leave  the  place  with 
the  conviction  that,  if  the  hotels  are  not  perfect, 
the  fortifications  are  of  the  first  class. 

Tiie  Provincial  Legislature  meets  in  Halifax. 
Close    to    the    building    where    the    Legislators 


;i' 


m 1 


*t; 


Cover  HOI'  ArcJiibaUL 


17 


ever 
,vitli 
ect, 


fax. 
Itors 


assemble   is    a    large    buililing    containing    tlio 

* 

Governnicnfc    officos,    tlio    Post    ofHco,    the    City- 
Library  and   the   Pi-ovincial  JMuseuni,    the  latter 
being  ricli  in  the  antiijuities,   Indian   relics   and 
mineral  products  of  the  Pi-ovince.     I   ought  not 
to  omit  to  mention  with  well-deserved  praise  the 
public  garden,  which   is   not   only  extensive  and 
stocked   with   curious  plants,  but  which  is  kept 
with  as  ranch  care  as  it  is  laid  out  with  taste.    Nor 
shonld  I  conclude  without  writing  a  few  sentences 
in  eulogy  of  the  present  Lieutenant-Governor,  Mr. 
Archibald,    who    occupies    an    official    residence 
which  has  a  gloomy  look,  but  which  is  a  com- 
modious   and    most   agreeable  house  to  live  in. 
]\Ir.  Archibald  is  a  Nova  Scotian  and  his  and)ition 
is  centred  in  advancing:  the  interest  of  his  native 
Province.       He    has    had    long    and    varied    ex- 
perience of  public  life  and  he  has  played  his  part 
in   it    most    admirably.     He    filled    the    office   of 
Lieutenant-Governor   of  Manitoba  at  a  ci'isis   in 
the  history  of  tliat  far  western   member  of   the 
Dominion,  and  he  there  displayed  great  adminis- 
trative   ability,    solving  the   ditHcult  problem    of 
reconciling  the    Indians    to   their  new  Canadian 
;inilers  and  concluding   treaties   with  them  which 
hav3  proved  as  just  to  them   as   tliey  have  been 
serviceable  to  Canada.     If  his  fellow-countrvmen 
in  Nova  Scotia  were  imbued  with  his  patriotic 


;.M! 


78 


The  Land  of  the  "  Blue  Noses ^ 


spirit  r.rid  wore  endowed  witli   liis   c.ipncity  for 


deidi 


ith 


)1)1 


mg    Avitu    proDleins    in     pniHic     nilMirs, 


bli 


the 


progress  of  their  fine  Pro vi nee  Avould  be  even 
more  rapid  Jind  gratiFying  in  the  future  tlifin  it  has 
been  in  the  past.  That  the  "  Royal  Province  " 
has  a  great  fjiturc  I  firmly  believe.  That  "  the 
Blue  Noses  "  have  great  opportunities  as  Avell  as 
honourable  traditions  is  quite  certain.  Their 
land  offers  many  inducements  to  the  capitalist 
and  it  is  a  tempting  home  for  the  emigrant. 
The  capitalist,  the  mining  engineer,  the  agri- 
culturist, the  sportsman  and  the  emigrant  can  all 
find  within  the  ample  and  untenanted  limits  of 
Nova  Scotia,  an  incomparable  field  wherein  to 
realize  the  fondest  desires  of  their  hearts. 


>) 


CHAPTER  III. 


tail 
of 
to 


THE    rROVINCE    OP   NEW    BRUNSWICK. 

When  Sfc.  Jolm,  tlio  cliicf  city  of  New  Brunswick, 
was  almost  entirely  destroyed  by  fire  on  the  20tli 
of  June,  1877,  the  loss  sustained  was  greater 
proportionately  tiian  that  caused  by  tlie  great  fire 
at  Chicago  six  years  previously.  About  18,000 
New  Brunswickers  were  then  rendered  homeless ; 
1612  houses,  covering  an  area  of  200  acres,  were 
destroyed  in  the  brief  space  of  nine  hours  ;  the 
loss  of  property  was  estimated  at  $27,000,000. 
English  philanthropists  showed  their  usual  and 
laudable  alacrity  in  aiding  the  suflerers.  Some 
of  them  also  displayed  discreditable  ignorance 
about  the  situation  of  St.  John  and  the  nation- 
ality of  its  inhabitants.  T  remember  an  ap})eal 
earnestly  made  by  one  of  them  to  the  effect  that 
the  sad  occasion  was  an  admirable  oppoi-tunity, 
not  only  for  succouring  the  needy,  but  also  for 
manifesting  brotherly  love  and  charity  towards 


'.  *■ 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  NY    14S80 

(716)  872-4503 


i 


i' 


80 


The  Province  of  New  Bninsivick. 


the  citizens  of  the  United  States.  Unfortunately, 
this  is  no  isohited  example  of  geograi)hical  igno- 
rance. Indeed,  when  Cobden  expressed  his 
opinion  that  young  Englishmen  should  bo  in- 
structed in  the  history  of  Chicago,  he  niiglit  have 
added  that  they  would  be  all  the  better  for 
obtaining  precise  knowledge  of  the  history  and 
geography  of  Canada.  This  knowledge  would 
prove  quite  as  useful  to  them  as  that  minute  and 
exclusive  acquaintance  with  Grecian  history  and 
literature  which  he  assumed  them  to  possess  and 
which,  as  an  intellectual  possession,  he  may  have 
undervalued. 

It  is  true  that  the  people  of  New  Brunswick 
are  closely  allied  in  race  to  their  neighbours  across 
the  border.  Many  of  the  oldest  and  most 
respected  New  Brunswick  families  are  descended 
from  the  Loyalists  who  were  driven  from  the 
United  States  because  they  pertinaciously  avowed 
their  predilection  for  an  ideal  British  Empire  of 
which  the  North  American  Continent  should 
form  a  part.  No  Province  of  the  Dominion  of 
Canada  is  less  Yankee  in  sentiment  than 
New  Brunswick  which  is  conterminous  on  the 
south-west  with  the  State  of  Maine.  Its  inhabi- 
tants do  not  seem  to  have  forgotten  how  the 
State  of  Maine  was  aggrandized  at  the  expense  of 
their   Province    in    181-2,   owing   to   what    they 


The  Puritans  and  New  Britnsivick. 


8i 


believe  to  have  been  the  sliarp  practice  of  Daniel 
"Webster,  then  Secretary  of  State  in  Mr.  Tyler's 
Arbninistvation. 

The  Pni'itans  of  ]\rassac1nisetts  pla3'ecl  a  curions 
part  in  the  early  history  of  what  is  now  Kew 
Brunswick  but  was  then  called  Acadia.  John 
"VVinthrop,  then  Governor  of  Massachnsetts, 
assented  to  a  request  that  New  Ent^hind  ships 
and  men  should  bo  employed  in  hel[)iiig 
Latour,  who  held  the  fort  which  stood  on  tlie 
site  of  the  principal  city  in  the  Province  and  who 
refused  to  surrender  it,  and  resign  his  commission 
of  Lieutenant-General  to  D'Aulnay  whom  tlio 
King  of  France  had  sent  to  supersede  him.  The 
assistance  rendered  by  the  New  Eno:hinders 
proving  effectual,  D'Aulnay  had  to  retire  dis- 
comfited. This  happened  in  1G4^^.  Two  years 
afterwards  D'Aulnay  renewed  the  attack  during 
Latour's  absence.  The  wife  of  Latour  then  dis- 
played the  heroic  qualiti(>s  which  the  Countess  of 
Derby  afterwards  did  during  the  war  between  the 
Enolish  Parliament  and  Charles  the  First.  Aofain, 
D'Aulnay  was  repulsed.  A  third  titne  he  made 
the  attempt  and,  on  this  occasion,  he  succeeded 
throngli  bribery  in  getting  a  footing  in  the  fort 
though  vigorously  ojiposed  by  IMadame  Latour  at 
the  head  of  fifty  brave  men.  His  revenge  con- 
sisted in  hanging  the  whole  garrison  before  the 

a 


m 


■A  ' 

1 

w 

•IS  '  ! 


82 


7/ie  Province  of  Nciu  Brnnszvick, 


03^03  of  tlio  woman  who  liad  manifested  so  much 
fortitude  and  bravery.  The  spectacle  was  more 
terrible  to  lierthan  an  assault  of  armed, men;  she 
died  of  g'rief  soon  after. 

AVhen  D'Aulnay  felt  himself  strong  enough  to 
assert  his  rights,  he  accused  the  Government  of 
Massachusetts  with  a  breach  of  neutrality  and 
demanded  compensation.  The  latter  replied  that 
they  had  not  directly  interfered  in  the  quarrel, 
having  merely  permitted  Latour  to  hire  ships  and 
enlist  men.  The  damages  demanded  were  8000/., 
vet  the  Commissioner  who  urijed  the  claims  of 
ITAulnay  said  that  if  the  Government  acknow- 
ledored  their  p^uilt  in  the  matter  the  damaores 
might  be  reduced  to  a  nominal  amount.  Ulti- 
mately the  blame  was  transferred  to  Captain 
Hawkins  and  the  volunteers  who  had  taken  part 
with  Latour,  and  the  Government  consented  "  to 
send  a  small  present  to  D'Aulnay  in  satisfaction 
of  what  Captain  Hawkins  and  the  others  had 
done."  Governor  "Winthrop  in  describing  the 
transaction,  enables  us  to  understand  that  the 
*'  smartness  "  which  is  supposed  to  be  a  modern 
characteristic  of  New  England  was  possessed  and 
exercised  by  the  early  Puritans.  The  small 
present  sent  to  D'xlulnay  was  "  a  very  fair  new 
sedan"  which  had  been  taken  in  the  West  Indies 
and    presented    to    the     Governor,    which    was 


Foiuidation  of  St.  yohn. 


83 


"  wortli  forty  or  fifty  pounds  wliero  it  was  made, 
but  of  no  use  to  us.'" 

In  1050,  Latour  returned.  D'Aulnay  had  died 
in  the  interval,  leaving  a  widow  wlio  surrendered 
the  fort  to  Latour  and,  three  3'ears  afterwards, 
became  his  wil'e.  Thus  Latour  not  only  regained 
possession  of  the  fort  but  he  became  the  husband 
of  his  rival's  wife  and  lord  of  all  his  lands.  This 
settlement  occurred  in  1653;  in  tlie  following 
year  it  was  abruptly  terminated  by  Oliver  Crom- 
well who  sent  a  naval  expedition  against  him 
with  the  result  that  he  was  ousted  from  office  and 
Acadia  was  annexed  to  Eno^land.  It  was  ceded 
to  France  again  a  few  years  later  and  it  was 
re-acquired  by  England  in  1745 ;  a  few  years 
after  this  an  English  garrison  under  the  coai- 
mand  of  Colonel  Moncton  was  established  in  the 
fort  wdiich,  during  a  century,  had  been  the 
subject  of  strife.  A  few  settlers  came  hither 
from  England  in  17G1;  but  the  first  settlement 
on  a  large  scale  and  permanent  basis  was  made 
by  5000  United  Empire  Loyalists  who  left  the 
United  States  in  1783  and,  on  tlie  18th  of  May  in 
that  year,  founded  the  city  of  St.  John.  Several 
years  later  there  was  an  influx  of  settlers  from 
Ireland  who  have  found  their  removal  to  the  new 
country  from  the  old  one  to  be  highly  advan-  * 
'  John  Winthrop's  "Xew  England,"  vol.  ii.  p.  274. 

u  2 


m 

li 


\m 


■famrnnam'^ 


i: 


t, 


'!!     |: 


84 


The  Province  of  New  Bntnswic/c. 


tacfoous.  The  least  successful  tillers  of  t1ie  soil 
appear  to  be  tlie  deseeiulants  of  tlie  Aeadians 
who  escaped  expulsion  from  the  country.  Their 
farmin":  is  both  slovenlv  and  wasteful,  consistinor 
in  exhausting  a  piece  of  land  and  then  applying 
to  the  Government  for  a  new  piece  whereon  to 
recommence  the  same  process. 

Many  smrdl  colonies  have  settled  in  New 
Brunswick  and  have  prospered  exceedingly.  A 
small  colony  numberincf  182  went  thither  from 
the  North  of  England  in  1837.  The  colonists 
had  to  fell  trees  before  they  could  cultivate  tlie 
land.  According  to  a  return  compiled  in  the 
sixth  year  of  their  sojourn,  the  result  of  their 
labour  was  that  they  had  taken  from  land, 
originally  covered  with  trees,  2G0  tons  of  hay  and 
straw,  and  1500  brsliels  of  grain,  potatoes  and 
turnips.  They  appended  to  the  return  tlie  fol- 
lowing remarks :  "  The  climate  of  New  Bi-uns- 
wick  aofrees  well  with  the  constitution  of  Enoflish- 
men ;  the  air  is  salubrious,  and  the  water  as  pure 
and  wholesome  as  any  in  the  world.  During  the 
six  years  of  our  location  there  have  occurred  but 
two  deaths,  while  there  have  been  thirty-nine 
births  without  the  presence  of  medical  aid.  Six 
years'  experience  have  convinced  us  that  not- 
withstanding the  privations  to  which  new  settlers 
are   exposed,   diligence   and   perseverance    must 


A^'civ  Denmark. 


ensure  success."  In  184-2,  an  5itteiii[)t  was  made 
to  found  a  small  colony  of  Irish  people  where 
teetotal  principles  would  bo  rigorously  practised. 
The  experiment  was  succc'ssful  beyond  expecta- 
tion. The  colony,  iiicludinij^  women  and  children, 
number(Hl  101.  Thirty  male  members  of  it  are 
credited  at  the  end  of  the  first  year  with  having 
gathered  from  a  spot,  which  had  been  a  dense 
forest  till  they  cleared  it,  727G  bushels  of  grain, 
potatoes  and  turnips.  Their  labour  had  been 
rewarded  with  a  total  return,  in  crops  and  per- 
manent improvements,  to  the  value  of  2000/. 

Quite  as  interesting  and  significant  as  any  of  the 
foregoing  examples  is  that  of  the  Danish  colony 
established  within  the  last  ten  years  about  eight 
miles  from  Grand  Falls  in  the  western  part  of  the 
Province.  This  place,  formerly  called  llellerup, 
is  now  known  as  New  Denmark.  There  it  was 
that,  in  the  year  1872,  thirty-six  Danes  began  to 
cut  down  the  primeval  forest.  The  toil  was 
harder  than  they  had  counted  upon,  while  the 
difficulties  against  which  they  contended  seemed 
so  great  as  to  dishearten  them.  But  they  per- 
severed and  they  have  now  no  reason  to  complain. 
Where  trees  covered  the  ground  a  few  j^ears  ago, 
is  now  a  tract  of  cleared  land  extending  over 
3000  acres  and  yielding  large  crops.  The  colony 
has   grown  from  36  to  500   persons   and  it   is 


I  I 


;       I 

I 

'I 
i  I 


86 


The  Province  of  New  Briinsivick. 


bciii^"  ivciiiitcd  l)y  lTt'(|ucut  nrrivjib;  as  many 
as  120  imii) 'grants  arrived  there  from  Denmark 
in  1879.  The  extent  of  tlio  settlement  is  such 
that  there  are  tbirt3^-six  miles  of  road  running 
through  it.  The  ])eo[)le  are  frugal  and  indus- 
trious, and  are  growing  rich,  because  they  have 
an  annual  surplus  in  excess  of  their  own  require- 
ments. A  curious  circumstance  is  that,  whereas 
the  Danes  who  arrived  here  were  Lutherans,  tliey 
adopted  tlie  service  of  the  Church  of  England  in 
the  church  which  they  built  for  themselves. 

All  the  facts  which  I  have  gleaned  from  official 
papers  as  to  the  prosperity  of  the  New  Brunswick 
farmers  were  verified  in  conversation  with  those 
Avhom  I  questioned  as  to  their  condition.  They 
have  many  advantages  over  farmers  in  the  Far 
West.  The  land  yields  as  good  a  return,  while 
the  price  obtained  for  the  produce  is  higher  owing 
to  the  proximity  of  a  market.  They  have  not  to 
pay  so  much  for  wdiat  they  buy,  as  the  farmers 
must  do  who  are  far  removed  from  the  sea-board, 
while  they  receive  more  for  what  they  have  to  sell 
than  the  farmers  can  do  whose  crops  have  to  be 
carried  to  market  hundreds  of  miles  by  rail.  The 
area  of  the  Province  is  27,i>32  square  miles,  being 
greater  than  that  of  the  Kingdoms  of  Belgium 
and  Holland  combined.  Thirteen  million  of  acres 
are  available  for  cultivation.     It  is  estimated  that 


The  St.  John  River, 


87 


tlie  land  can  support-  a  popnlation  nnniborini^ 
four  millions  and  a  half'.  The  actual  population 
does  not  much  exceed  three  hundred  thousand! 

The  St.  John  River  is  the  most  notable  fact  in 
the  Province  of  Xew  Brunswick.  It  is  a  noble 
stream,  affording,  with  its  tributaries,  1300  miles 
of  navigable  waters,  draining  a  region  covering 
17,000,000  acres,  thereof  9,000,000  are  within  the 
Province,  2,000,000  in  the  Province  of  Quebei^ 
and  0,000,000  in  the  State  of  Maine.  The  valley 
through  which  it  flows  is  very  beautiful,  the 
scenery  being  quite  as  attractive  as  at  the  most 
lovely  parts  of  the  Hudson.  The  Indians  gave  it 
the  name  *'  Looslitook  "  because  they  were  struck 
with  its  length,  the  word  meaning  "  Long  River." 
It  winds  through  the  Province  for  a  distance  of 
250  miles ;  as  the  Province  is  190  miles  long  by 
140  broad,  it  is  obvious  that  the  St.  John  River 
is  a  meandering  stream.  At  the  upper  part  of 
the  stream  are  Grand  Falls  where  the  water 
descends  70  feet  perpendicularly.  AVhcre  it 
enters  the  harbour  at  the  city  of  St.  John  another 
fall  of  a  singular  kind  attracts  the  notice  of 
stranofers.  When  the  tide  is  out  and  the  water 
low,  the  water  descends  17  feet.  At  high  water, 
on  the  contrary,  the  fall,  if  I  may  thus  phrase  it, 
is  in  the  opposite  direction,  the  tide  rising  so  high 
as  to  cause  rapids  up  stream.     I  passed  over  the 


1-  i. 


ir 


n 


83 


The  Province  of  New  Briins:cii/c. 


spot  in  a  stcam(T  during'  tlio  twenty  minutes  tliis 
can  be  done  wlion  tlie  tide  is  at  its  liei'dit,  and  I 
could  scarcely  realize  that  the  spot  was  the  same 
as  that  at  wliich  I  had  seen  tlie  river  dashing 
down  the  rocks  in  a  sheet  of  foam. 

For  some  distance  above  the  city  of  St.  John 
the  river  is  very  wide  and  is  studded  with  wooded 
islands.  The  view  on  either  side  is  varied  and  most 
attractive  over  the  whole  eighty-six  miles  which 
intervene  between  that  city  and  Fredericton,  the 
Capital  of  the  Province.  The  Lieutenant-Governor 
occupies  an  oflicial  residence  at  Fredericton  which 
is  imposing  in  appearance  but  which  has  a  serious 
defect,  judging  from  the  statement  which  Dr. 
Botsford,  a  physician  of  St.  John,  made  in  a 
paper  read  before  the  Convention  at  Ottawa  of 
the  Canada  Medical  Association.  Dr.  Botsford 
said  that  Government  House,  which  cost  $100,000 
to  erect  and  from  $5000  to  $8000  annually  to 
maintain,  was  so  unhealthy  that  the  persons  who 
lived  there  did  so  at  their  peril.  The  sudden 
death  of  the  late  Lieutenant-Governor  and  the  ill- 
health  of  the  present  one  were  attributable,  in 
liis  opinion,  to  the  sewage  gas  which  pervades  the 
edifice.  It  is  clear,  then,  that  the  Governor  of 
this  Province  runs  quite  as  much  risk  as  the 
leader  of  a  forlorn  hope.  Let  me  hope,  however, 
that  Government  House  will  be  converted  into  a 


CJiurchcs  in  Frcdcr'uion, 


89 


■place,  in  wliicli  to  enjoy  life,  fi-oni  one  in  wliicli  to 
risk  and  lose  it.  A  house  of  meetiiif^  for  the 
Pi'ovineial  Legislature  is  the  most  recent  public 
buiklin<^'  in  Fi'ederieton  ;  it  has  been  ei'ected  to 
replace  the  one  destroyed  by  fife.  The  n(nv 
llouso  of  Assembly  is  a  substantial  stone  struc- 
ture.    The  Episcopal  Cathedral   is    the  buildin 


cr 


•th 


»f 


it. 


most  conspicuous  and  best  v 
This  Cathedral  vies  with  that  of  ^lontrcal  as  a 
fine  example  of  Canadian  ecclesiastical  architec- 
ture. The  loyal  citizens  take  pleasure  in  in- 
forminof  a  strauGfer  that  the  altar-cloth,  is  the  one 
used  at  the  coronation  of  AVilliam  the  Fourth. 
The  Methodists  have  built  a  church  with  a  spire 
still  higher  than  that  of  the  Cathedral  and  having 
a  hand  with  an  outstretched  finger  at  the  sunmiit. 
Much  of  this  structure  is  of  wood,  and  it  does  not 
resist  the  action  of  the  weather  like  the  stone  of 
which  the  Cathedral  is  built ;  thus,  while  the 
Methodists  are  entitled  to  boast  of  having  the 
higher  spire,  they  have  also  the  obligation  of 
paying  largely  to  keep  it  in  repair.  The  Uni- 
versitv  of  New  Brunswick,  founded  in  1800,  is  at 
Fredericton.  An  annual  scholarship  of  $G0  is 
awarded  to  one  boy  from  each  county  in  the  Pro- 
vince as  well  as  free  tuition,  and  fifty-six  scholar- 
ships, entitling  the  holder  to  free  tuition,  are 
appropriated  for  competition  to  any  youth  in  the 


u 


90 


The  Province  of  New  Bninsivick. 


\:\  ■ 


cities  and  coiiiilii's.  Tlio  ^fi'lliodists  founded  a 
Cullcn^e  Jit  Siickviilc  in  18()2  which  is  open  to 
stndiMits  of  either  sex,  and  the  lionian  (/utliolics 
maintain  St.  Josepli's  Collet^'e  at  IMenirameook. 

Tho  Post  olHce,  and  otiier  public  buihlings  in 
Fredei'icton  are  of  red  brick  ;  several  stores  and 
warehouses  are  built  of  the  sarao  material ;  they 
Lave  all  a  solid  appearance  and  they  belong  to 
r^en  who  are  enterprising  and  opident.  Trees  lino 
the  streets  and  surround  many  of  the  buildings. 
Gardens  are  attaclied  to  most  of  the  houses  and 
the  combination  of  foliage  and  flowers  on  every 
hand,  and  ])ublic  buildings,  shops  and  houses 
standing  among  gardens,  produces  a  rural  efl'ect 
and  makes  the  observer  fancy  that  he  is  looking 
upon  a  large  and  finely-built  country  village.  I 
have  never  seen  a  capital  which  seemed  less  like 
a  cit}^,  or  a  city  which  had  so  pleasant  reminders 
of  the  country.  The  river  is  half  a  mile  wide 
here  and  the  banks  are  too  flat  to  be  picturesqne. 
Fish  of  various  kinds  abound  in  the  river.' 
Stnrgeon  are  specially  plentiful.  This  fish  used 
to  be  prized  by  royalty  in  England ;  it  is  not 
considered  a  delicacy  here.  Yet  great  zeal  is 
shown  in  catching  sturgeon  because  the  business 
is  profitable.  I  visited  a  station  where  four  men 
were  engaged  in  fishing.  They  had  caught  twenty 
fish  within  twenty-four  hours ;  all  these  sturgeon 


I 


Ilcad'jiiai'tcrs  of  Ihc  IntcrcoloniaL 


91 


were  ljn\i';(',  oiiu  of  tlicni  mcnsurid  six  feet  in 
length.  Tlio  price  paid  for  cncli,  irrespective  oL' 
size,  is  fifty  cents.  1  wjis  told  tliiit,  when  tlie  fish 
rcacljed  I'oston,  whicli  was  tlieir  destination,  they 
woukl  fetch  five  dollars  each.  It  is  stranL;'e  that 
the  New  Brnnswickers  have  norelisli  for  the  fish, 
bccanso  it  is  good,  (hough  ratlier  snb.-tantial 
eating.  But  a  prejudice  such  n^  they  entertain 
cannot  be  removed  by  argumeri,  any  more  than 
the  prejudice  of  the  Irish  T'  oph  against  rabbits 
and  of  the  Scottish  peopl:*  against  eels. 

Moncton  takes  rank,  after  <  he  Capital  and  St. 
John,  as  the  most  rising  New  Brunswick  town. 
It  is  the  hea(hpiarters  of  the  Intercolonial  Uailway 
and  the  junction  -where  the  trains  meet  which 
run  between  Halifax  and  St.  John  and  Halifax 
and  Quebec.  While  St.  John  is  situated  not  far 
from  the  mouth  of  the  Bay  of  Fiindy,  Moncton  is 
at  the  head  of  that  extraordinary  sheet  of  water 
which,  as  the  tide  flows  and  ebbs,  rises  and  falls 
in  ccTtain  places  as  much  as  sixty  feet.  So  far 
from  the  sea  as  IMoncton,  the  diflerence  between 
low  and  high  water  is  thirty  feet,  and  the  contrast 
is  most  striking  betw'cen  the  vast  expanse  of 
almost  dry  ground  when  the  tide  is  out  and  the 
area  of  water  where  the  largest  ships  can  float 
when  the  tide  is  at  its  height.  The  phenomena 
called  the  "bore,"  which  is  occasionally  seen  ou 


.1 


'•""RWflWiw"-™--  — 


...JJ:. 


.  ^liUtKlU>*|W<Wr«v^ 


92 


The  Province  of  Neiv  Brnnsivick. 


I 


I 


the  Severn,  is  a  comn-ion  occurrence  at  this  part 
of  the  Bay  of  Fimdy. 

A  few  years  a2:o  IMoncton  was  a  straofOflinGr  and 
quiet  village.  The  old  and  the  new  are  easily 
distinguishable,  the  town  having  recently  grown 
in  the  opposite  direction  to  that  which  it  followed 
in  its  early  days.  When  the  GOO  acres  within 
which  it  stands  are  covered  with  buildings  the 
place  will  have  an  imposing  appearance,  and  the 
main  street,  which  is  a  mile  long,  will  not  seem  so 
different  from  the  other  streets.  As  the  centre 
of  a  large  agricultural  district,  Moncton  has  long 
been  a  place  where  much  business  was  transacted 
and  this  accounts  for  the  number  of  stores  ap- 
pearing to  be  far  in  excess  of  what  the  inhabitants 
could  support.  The  articles  on  sale  in  some  of 
these  stores  are  very  varied.  On  a  notice-board 
outside  one  of  them  a  list  of  the  goods  kept  began 
with  Bibles  and  Prayer  Books  and  ended  with 
newspapers,  but  did  not  include  the  potatoes, 
turnips,  cabbages  and  other  vegetables  which 
were  the  chief  things  to  be  seen  indoors. 

Late  in  the  evening  of  the  first  day  I  spent  in 
Moncton,  I  gazed  upon  a  sight  grander  than  any 
which  I  had  beheld  elsewhere,  unless  I  exce[)t  a 
fire  in  the  woods  on  the  bank  of  the  St.  John 
River.  I  have  seen  a  prairie  ablaze  and  I  have 
looked  with  wonder  at  the  "  tules "  or  gigantic 


i 


A  Forest  07z  Fire. 


93 


bulrushes  such  as  grow  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile, 
burning  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  along  the 
loft  bank  of  the  Sacramento  River  in  California, 
but  this  was  the  first  time  that  1  beheld  the  con- 
flagration of  a  forest.  At  first  the  fire  seemed 
trifling,  but  the  flames  gradually  rose  in  angry 
shape  and  spread  in  serried  masses  as  tree  after 
tree  succumbed  to  the  effects  of  an  element  which, 
in  this  case,  was  really  a  devouring  one.  The 
march  of  the  fire  was  marked  next  morning  by  a 
space  through  the  forest  as  clearly  defined  as  if  it 
had  been  wrought  by  machinery, and  by  hundreds  of 
blackened  trees  which  would  never  bud  again.  The 
sight  of  these  bare  and  lifeless  poles  is  a  common 
one  here;  the  poles  are  termed  "  ram-pikes/* 
They  are  utterly  useless,  being  valueless  as  timber 
and  merely  cumbering  the  ground.  The  people 
of  Moncton  thouj^ht  nothino^  of  a  si^rht  which 
impressed  me  greatly.  They  care  no  more  about 
the  loss  of  a  part  of  a  forest  by  fire  than  the  in- 
habitants of  a  coal  district  care  about  the  ignition 
and  loss  of  a  pile  of  waste  coal  at  the  pit's  mouth. 
One  of  them,  however,  sympathized  with  me.  He 
had  left  Ireland  thirty  years  ago  and  he  had 
prospered  in  New  Brunswick,  and  he  expressed 
his  opinion  that  the  folks  in  the  old  country  would 
naturally  regard  the  destruction  of  so  much  valu- 
able timber  as  a  serious  calamity  ;  adding  that 


I  * 


J  ft- 


-' ',  i 


it 


94 


The  Province  of  New  Brunswick, 


wood  was  too  plentiful  and  clieiip  in  New  Bruns- 
wick to  be  sufficiently  valued.  But  tlie  day  is  at 
hand  when  even  the  forests  of  this  Province  will 
cease  to  be  sources  of  wealth  and  to  be  regarded 
as  practically  inexhaustible.  The  area  covered 
by  primeval  forest  is  gradually  becoming  cleared. 
Where  young  trees  are  allowed  to  grow  they  do 
not  furnish  timber  equal  in  value  to  that  derived 
from  the  old  ones.  Indeed,  the  industry  of 
**  lumbering "  which  used  to  be  a  leading  and 
profitable  one  in  this  Province,  as  well  as  in  the  ad- 
joining State  of  Maine,  is  growing  less  remunera- 
tive year  after  year.  The  day  is  not  distant  when 
it  will  have  to  be  exchanged  for  that  of  cultivating 
the  soil  or  rearing:  cattle  and  I  do  not  hold  that 
the  exchange  will  be  a  loss.  The  farmer  and  the 
grazier  make  quite  as  industrious  and  sober 
citizens  as  "  lumbermen." 

The  gentleman  to  whom  I  have  just  referred 
was  an  Irishman  who  has  found  in  the  Dominion  a 
home  which  reconciles  him  to  live  away  from  his 
native  Erin.  He  was  a  patriot  in  his  youth  who 
regarded  O'Connell  with  idolatry.  His  affection 
for  the  land  of  his  birth  is  strong  enough  to  cause 
him  to  Avatch  its  fortunes  with  intense  interest. 
He  seemed,  however,  to  entertain  a  sentiment 
akin  to  that  which  made  Horace  Walpole  declare 
that  he  would  love  his  country  exceedingly  if  it 


Land  Laws. 


95 


•were  not  for  "hi:?  countrymen.  He  was  personally 
acquainted  with  many  of  the  Irishmen  who  devote 
themselvTS  in  the  United  States  to  stir  up  strife 
in  Ireland.  Between  them  and  the  Irish  in 
Canada  there  is  a  stronof  antaGfonism.  This  was 
shown  by  the  murder  of  Darcy  McGee  for  his 
opposition  to  Fenianism  and  his  denunciation  of 
Fenians.  My  informant  was  emphatic  in  stating 
that  his  countrymen  in  New  Brunswick  were  per- 
fectly satisfied  with  their  lot,  and  his  desire  was 
that  thousands,  whose  hearts  were  set  upon  having 
land  of  their  own  to  cultivate  and  who  could  not 
attain  their  object  in  Ireland,  might  emigrate 
to  that  Province.  No  Province  in  Canada,  nor 
any  State  in  the  Union  is  so  liberal  to  settlers  as 
New  Brunswick.  In  the  year  1868  an  Act  was 
passed  by  the  Provincial  Legislature  empowering 
the  Government  to  give  free  grants  of  100  acres 
of  land  to  a  settler  wdio  paid  a  sum  of  §20  to  be 
expended  in  making  roads,  or  who  gave  his  labour 
to  the  value  of  $10  for  three  years  in  succession, 
who  built  a  house  within  two  years  and  cultivated 
ten  acres  within  three.  An  Act  of  1872,  now  in 
force,  is  more  liberal  still.  Under  it  an  actual 
settler  can  obtain  100  acres  of  Crown  land  if  a 
single  man,  and  200  acres  if  he  be  married  and 
have  two  or  more  children,  on  condition  that  a 
house  is  built  and  three  acres  are  cultivated  within 


^i 


?■■'( 


• 


M' 


96 


The  Province  of  New  Brunswick, 


j1     '!  ' 


'I . 


a  year  and  ten  acres  within  three  years.  After  the 
house  is  built,  the  Government  makes  a  present 
to  the  settler  of  $30.  Moreover,  he  is  protected 
against  utter  ruin  by  a  law  giving  immunity  to 
his  property  to  the  amount  of  §600,  in  the  event 
of  execution  for  debt. 

It  is  not  easy  for  a  visitor  to  the  city  of  St. 
John  to  believe  that  nearly  the  whole  of  it  was  a 
blackened  ruin  a  few  years  ago.  A  vacant  charred 
space  here  and  there  proclaims  in  an  unmistak- 
able fashion  that  a  fire  has  swept  a  building  away; 
but  the  general  aspect  of  the  city  is  that  of  a 
prosperous  place  which  has  never  been  devastated 
by  fire.  Most  of  the  buildings  are  new,  but  new 
buildings  are  what  one  expects  to  see  on  the 
North  American  Continent.  Some  of  them,  such 
as  the  banks  of  Nova  Scotia  and  New  BrunsAvick, 
are  effective  specimens  of  architecture.  The 
Custom  House  has  an  imposing  aspect,  resembling 
in  several  particulars  the  Louvre  at  Paris.  The 
docks  are  spacious  and  filled  with  ships ;  it  is  the 
boast  of  the  citizens  that  St.  John  ranks  after 
Glasgow  in  the  amount  of  its  registered  shipping 
and  is,  in  fact,  the  fourth  port  in  the  Empire. 
Churches  abound.  As  the  citv  is  built  on  a  series 
of  eminences,  the  Churches  and  the  Church  spires 
are  visible  at  every  turn.  In  answer  to  my  inquiry 
whether  St.  John  were  not  a  very  pious  city,  the 


Cattle  Rearing, 


97 


n 


the 

such 

wick, 

The 


hmdlord  of  the  hotel  in  which  I  stayed  replied 
that  I  ought  not  to  reckon  the  Churches  as  a 
guide  to  such  a  conclusion,  because  they  were 
largely  exceeded  in  number  by  the  "  whisky- 
holes."  I  heard  many  lamentations  about  the 
prevalence  of  intemperance.  Efforts  are  made  to 
lessen  it  by  prohibiting  the  sale  of  strong  drink, 
in  imitation  of  the  system  prevailing  in  the  ad- 
joining State  of  Maine.  The  struggle  is  carried 
on  with  a  bitterness  which  does  not  edify  the 
spectator  and  which  cannot  produce  lasting  good, 
whatever  the  political  issue  may  be.  INIy  own 
opinion  is  that,  if  half  the  energy  and  money  ex- 
pended in  this  controversy  with  the  effect  of 
stirring  up  bad  blood,  were  devoted  to  encouraging 
immigration  the  Province  would  gain  enormously. 
A  new  industry  dating  from  the  year  1879  pro- 
mises to  increase  the  wealth  of  the  Province. 
This  is  the  exportation  of  sheep  and  cattle  to 
England.  No  part  of  the  Dominion  is  better 
adapted  than  New  Brunswick  for  rearing  cattle 
and  the  proximity  of  the  sea-board  is  a  natural 
advantage  of  the  first  importance.  Like  Nova 
Scotia  it  has  been  inadequately  apprernated  by 
the  emigrants  from  the  Old  World ;  indeed  these 
two  Maritime  Provinces  of  Canada,  which  are 
among  the  oldest  of  any,  are  really  less  known 
than  the  younger  which  are  more  remote  and  far 


■ti, 


■;-i,'  % 


if  11 


i   - 


98 


TJie  Province  of  New  Brunswick. 


M 


more  difficult  of  access.  The  emigrant  who  has 
resolved  iipon  leaving  the  United  Kingdom  for 
Canada  might  go  farther  west  than  New  Bruns- 
wick and  fare  worse  than  if  he  settled  there. 


y: 


'i 

I 

! 
;> 

,    ft- 


ill 


■til 


CHAPTER  IV. 


TRINCE    EDWARD    ISLAND. 


The  Island  now  called  Prince  Edward  was  known 
as  St.  Johns  Island  till  1800.  In  that  year  its 
name  was  changed  to  commemorate  the  sojourn 
of  the  Queen's  father  in  British  North  America. 
Till  1770  it  formed  a  part  of  the  Province  of 
Nova  Scotia.  In  1873  it  became  a  Province  of 
the  Dominion  of  Canada.  Though  the  smallest 
member  of  the  Dominion,  its  area  being  a  little 
in  excess  of  2000  square  miles,  it  has  a  population 
of  100,000,  which  is  proportionately  larger  than 
that  of  any  other  Canadian  territory  of  the  like 
extent.  The  situation  of  Prince  Edward  Island 
in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  corresponds,  in  its 
relation  to  Canada,  to  that  of  the  Isle  of  Wight  in 
its  relation  to  England.  The  climate  is  milder 
and  more  equable  than  en  the  mainland.  The 
sea  breeze  tempers  the  summer  heat,  and  renders 
the  Island  a  pleasant  place  of  resort  during  the 

H  2 


ik 


m\  \ 


100 


Prince  Edward  Island, 


ii    t 


warm  season.  The  sea-bathing  on  tlio  north  side 
is  excellent,  and  of  late  years  many  persons,  not 
from  Canada  only,  but  from  the  United  States 
also,  take  up  their  abode  here  in  the  summer  'hue 
and  enjoy  a  dip  in  the  Atlantic  surf. 

Though  the  distance  across  the  Straits  of 
Northumberland  between  Cape  Traverse,  on  the 
Island,  and  Cape  Tourmentine,  on  the  shore  of 
New  Brunswick,  is  9  miles,  and  between  the 
opposite  end  of  the  Island  and  Nova  Scotia  15 
miles,  yet  the  journey  over  the  route  taken  by  the 
steamer  occupies  four  to  five  hours.  During  the 
winter  months  communication  with  the  mainland 
is  maintained  with  difficulty,  it  being  often  an 
arduous  feat  to  force  a  passage  through  the  ice 
which  fills  the  Straits.  In  spring,  summer  and 
autumn,  steamers  ply  every  other  day  between 
Point  du  Cliene,  in  New  Brunswick,  and  Summer- 
side,  the  second  town  of  importance  on  the  south 
coast  of  the  Island,  and  between  Pictou,  in  Nova 
Scotia,  and  Charlottetown,  the  capital  of  the 
Island.  When  beheld  from  the  sea  on  a  bright 
day,  the  Island  looks  very  beautiful.  Its  clills 
are  as  red  as  those  of  South  Devon,  and  the  com- 
bination of  red  rocks,  dark  green  woods,  and 
green  fields,  dotted  with  white  houses,  is  very 
pleasing  to  the  eye.  The  coast  is  frequently  in- 
dented with  bays,  running  far  inland,  and  swarm- 


Itfl 


Oj'sfcrs,  JMackcrcl,  and  Lobsters,         loi 

ing  witli  fish.  Slicll-fish  abound.  Oysters  are 
plentiful  and  good.  They  are  in  great  i-equest  at 
Halifax  and  other  cities  on  tlie  mainland.  Tho 
sliells  are  longer  and  the  contents  are  larger  than 
those  of  English  oysters,  and  also  than  those  of 
the  "  Blue  Points  "  which  are  hicfhlv  prized  in  the 
United  States.  On  the  other  hand,  they  resemble 
English  oysters  in  taste  more  than  those  of  the 
United  States. 

The  chief  fishing  industry  is  that  of  catching 
and  curing  mackerel,  and  tinning  lobsters  for  ex- 
portation. There  are  nearly  50  factories  in  which 
lobster  preserving  is  carried  on,  giving  employ- 
ment to  2000  persons.  Some  of  the  factories  treat 
from  10,000  to  15,000  lobsters  a  day.  It  was 
expected  that  125,000  cases,  each  containing  48 
tins  lib.  in  weight,  would  be  exported  the  season 
of  my  visit.  The  price  paid  to  the  fishermen  for 
every  lobster  delivered  at  the  factory  is  half  a 
cent,  and  the  present  shipping  price  of  each  box 
holding  48  tins  of  lib.,  is  S4  25c. ;  in  other  words, 
nearly  43  lb.  of  lobster  can  be  bought  for  export 
at  a  trifle  over  16s.  If  I  do  not  mistake,  the 
retail  price  of  a  tin  in  England  is  9c/.,  so  the 
margin  between  IGs.  paid  here  and  the  oOs.  ob- 
tained for  a  case  in  Engfland  leaves  a  large  per- 
centage out  of  which  to  defray  incidental  expenses 
and   to  gain   a   profit.     I   am  told  that  lobster 


..[? 


102 


Prince  Edivard  Island, 


I 


I 


catching  is  forbidden  by  law  during  the  month  of 
August.  Tlie  fishermen  neither  seem  to  care 
anything  about  a  close  time,  nor  to  pay  a  willing 
respect  to  the  law  which  decrees  it.  One  of  them 
told  me  that,  in  his  opinion,  lobsters  were  always 
in  season,  and  that  he  did  not  believe  any  one 
knew  or  would  ever  know  when  they  spawned. 
He  adduced  evidence  to  the  effect  that,  at  all 
periods,  they  presented  the  appearance  of  being 
in  a  condition  to  spawn.  Yet  there  can  be  no 
doubt  in  the  minds  of  rational  men  that  lobsters 
can  be  exterminated,  just  as  oysters  have  been  in 
places,  if  the  number  taken  from  a  given  sjDot  be 
in  excess  of  the  number  produced. 

The  cultivators  of  the  soil  thrive  as  well  on 
Prince  Edward  Island  as  the  harvesters  of  the 
sea.  Oats,  potatoes,  and  buckwheat  are  the  most 
remunerative  crops.  Large  quantities  of  oats  are 
exported  to  Europe.  Hay  is  exported  to  the 
West  Indies ;  oats,  hay,  eggs,  fish,  and  other 
edibles  are  exported  to  Nova  Scotia,  New  Bruns- 
wick, and  Massachusetts.  For  several  months 
in  the  year,  a  steamer  which  runs  weekly 
between  Charlottetown  and  Boston  carries  away 
many  young  islanders  of  both  sexes,  as  well 
as  the  produce  of  the  farms.  The  desire  of 
the  young  men  and  women  to  visit  Boston  is  as 
keen  as  the  desire  of  young  people  in  the  rural 


Yield  and  Price  of  Potatoes. 


103 


districts  of  Eiiolai)d  to  visit  Loiulon.  In  both 
cases  tlioy  consider  tluit,  when  tlio  capital  of  tlio 
country  is  reached,  tlieir  fortunes  are  made.  I 
asked  some  of  the  young  islanders  what  was  tlio 
special  attraction  of  Boston.  They  replied  that 
they  had  been  told  they  could  get   high  wages 


th 


there.  They  did  not  know  that  if  the  wages  tliey 
received  were  liigher  than  those  obtainable  in  the 
island,  the  price  of  what  they  had  to  buy  was 
higher  also.  Besides,  they  had  the  indnoement 
of  being  able  to  make  the  experiment  at  the  low 
cost  of  $8,  and  they  were  sanguine  that  they 
would  have  no  reason  to  regret  the  change.  ]t 
was  the  change  of  life  which  most  of  them  de- 
sired. They  could  not  complain  of  anything  save 
the  monotony  of  existence  ;  the  Island  seemed  far 
too  contracted  a  world  to  them. 

Prince  Edward  Island  has  an  established  repu- 
tation for  producing  excellent  potatoes.  Neither 
in  size  nor  quality  can  any  potatoes  be  found  of  a 
superior  kind.  As  many  as  three  and  a  half 
million  bushels  are  produced  in  a  single  j^ear. 
But  the  main  difficulty  is  to  find  a  market  for 
this  useful  and  abundant  article  of  food.  A 
year  ago  it  was  possible  to  buy  a  bushel  of 
potatoes  for  10  cents.  At  the  time  of  my  visit 
the  price  had  risen  to  15  cents,  though  25  is  the 
price  at  which   the   seller   obtains  a  handsome 


'    w 


.'      4 


it    ' 
it     i 

IK' 

I' I 


fcr' 


104 


Prince  Edivard  Island, 


W  ! 


H 


profit.  Even  at  25  cents,  or  one  sliillinpf,  tlio 
price  is  extremely  low  from  an  Enj^nish  point  of 
view,  seein^^  tliat  one  penny  a  ponnd  is  acconnted 
cheap  by  the  ])nrehasers  of  ])otatoes  by  retail.  A 
bnshel  which  sells  in  the  Island  for  one  shilling 
sterlinnf  wouhl  thus  command  five  shillinofs  in  the 
London  market.  Last  year,  three  steamers  were 
freighted  with  potatoes  from  Prince  Edward 
I5  land  to  Enghmd,  but  tlic  result,  unfortunately, 
•w\as  disastrous  to  the  exporters.  AVhether  the 
cause  was  imperfect  packing  or  some  other  mis- 
take, certain  it  is  that  the  potatoes  arrived  at 
their  destination  in  so  bad  a  condition  that  the 
parties  who  engaged  in  the  venture  lost  money.  I 
understand  that  the  attempt  will  be  renewed,  and 
I  hojie  that  the  issue  may  be  more  satisfactory. 

The  first  settlement  of  this  Island  on  an  exten- 
sive scale  took  place  shortly  alter  the  beginning 
of  the  present  century.  It  is  not  generally 
known,  I  thiidc,  that  among  the  few  sensible 
measures  of  Mr.  Addington's  much  ridiculed 
Administration  was  one  for  encouraging  settlers 
to  make  Prince  Edward  Island  their  home.  Lord 
Helkirk  stirred  Mr.  Addington  to  move  in  this 
matter.  It  was  Lord  Selkirk's  desire  to  divert 
the  stream  of  emigration  to  the  British  pos- 
sessions in  North  America.  He  induced  800 
Highlanders  to  proceed   to   the  Island  in  1803. 


IligJdand  Settlers, 


105 


m 


Thoy  prospered  exceed in<2:ly.  The  colony  would 
have  liad  maiiv  accessions  had  not  war  ai^ain 
broken  out  in  Europe.  When  the  war  was  (h'aw- 
ing  to  a  close  in  181l*,  Lord  Selkirk  had  set  his  * 
heart  upon  what  is  now  the  Province  of  ]\Ianitol)a, 
as  the  most  elit^ible  ])l;ice  for  settlement;  he  had 
become  chairman  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company 
and  he  had  bouiiht  a  laro:e  tract  of  land  in  the 
IVoi'th-west.  Otlier  Scottish  families  emip^rated 
to  the  Island.  The  two  parties  Avere  divided  into 
hostile  camps  on  the  question  of  reli<^ious  worship, 
the  one  being  attached  to  the  Koman  Catholic 
form,  and  the  other  preferring  the  Presbyterian. 
Down  to  the  present  day  there  is  enmity  between 
the  descendants  of  the  two  sets  of  immigrants 
from  Scotland.  The  branch  of  the  Church  of 
England  in  the  Island  has  also  many  adherents. 
The  tendency  in  the  Episco^^al  Church  is  towards 
the  extreme  form  of  Ritualism. 

There  is  now  an  end  to  the  conflict  which 
raged  for  a  century  between  the  tillers  and  pro- 
prietors of  the  soil  in  Prince  Edward  Island. 
From  the  date  of  its  cession  to  England  in 
17G3  down  to  1875,  statesmen  were  perplexed 
with  a  *'  land  question  "  there.  At  the  outset  the 
best  mode  in  which  to  dispose  of  the  land  had 
received  great  consideration.  It  was  surveyed  in 
176G ;  two  years  before  it  had  been  granted  to 


rSffl 


:ii^ 


Ii 


1 06 


Prince  Edivard  Island. 


■  1 

1 


Lord  Egmont  who  Avas  enamoured  of  that  feudal 
system  wliich,  even  in  his  dny,  was  accounted 
foolishness  by  many  peers.  His  scliemc  was  to 
divide  the  Island  into  fifty  baronies ;  each  baron 
was  to  erect  a  castle  with  a  moat  and  drawbridge 
in  genuine  medioBval  fashion,  he  was  to  maintain  a 
certain  number  of  men-at-arms  and  do  suit  and 
service  to  the  Lord  Paramount.  Upon  the 
merchants  of  London  hearin^r  that  the  kinof  had 
granted  this  Island  to  Lord  Egmont  they  valued 
the  gift  at  half  a  million  sterling.  When  his 
scheme  for  dealing  with  it  was  published,  the 
public  laughed  at  him  and  doubted  whether  he 
possessed  his  senses  as  well  as  an  island.  Sancho 
Panza  could  not  have  made  a  more  absurd  propo- 
sition about  the  Island  of  Barataria. 

Finding  that  he  could  not  turn  liis  grant  to 
account  Lord  Egmont  relinquished  it,  and  the 
Bf»ard  of  Trade  and  Plantations  devised  a  scheme 
.of  their  own.  According  to  this  scheme,  the 
Island  was  divided  into  G7  townships  of  20,000 
acres  each  ;  the  proprietor  of  each  townsliip  was 
to  find  a  settler  for  every  200  acres,  within  ten 
years  after  entering  into  possession,  and  to  pay 
a  sum  varying  from  six  to  two  shillings  yearly  for 
each  100  acres  held  by  him.  The  applicants  for 
the  land  were  so  many,  being  far  in  excess  of  the 
quantity  to  be  allotted,  that  it  was  resolved  to  put 


X 


Subdivision  of  tJie  Land. 


107 


up  tlie  T\^liolo  as  prizes  in  a  lottery,  subdividing 
the  townships  into  lots  of  a  half  or  a  third. 
The  prize-holders  became  the  proprietors  of  the 
Island,  with  the  exception  of  two  townsliips  which 
had  been  reserved  for  the  use  of  a  fishiiio-  con1pan3^ 
In  a  single  day  of  the  year  1707,  l,oOO,000  acres  of 
land  were  appropriated  to  persons  not  many  of 
whom  had  the  intention  either  of  settling  ou  the 
Island  or  of  inducing  others  to  do  so.  The  prizes 
were  sold  for  cash ;  many  fetched  as  much  as  1000/. 
at  first ;  but,  the  supply  continuing,  they  ceased  to 
have  any  value  in  the  market. 

Very  few  of  the  proprietors  fulfilled  the  con- 
ditions under  which  they  obtained  their  lands. 
In  only  ten  townships  were  the  conditions  com- 
plied with  as  to  settling  one  person  for  iix^ivj 
200  acres,  before  the  expiry  of  the  time  when  the 
lands  were  to  be  forfeited  in  the  event  of  all  the 
conditions  not  being  fulfilled.  The  quit  rents 
remained  unpaid.  These  proprietoi'S  were  de- 
faulters to  the  Crown  and  at  the  same  time 
exacting  landlords.  They  declined  to  pay  the 
rents  for  which  they  held  their  lands,  but  they 
insisted  upon  rents  being  paid  to  them  by  tlie 
tenants  to  whom  thev  leased  the  lands.  The 
scandal  was  so  glaring  that  as  far  back  as  1770 
an  agitation  began  in  the  Island  for  tlie  forfeiture 
of  estates  to   wdiich    the  holders  had   ceased  to 


"i  i' 


wm 


1 

1 

V 

i 

1 08 


Prince  Edward  Island, 


\  I 


m 


«  PI 


1    I 


I    1 
1   ! 


enjoy  an  indisputable  title.  Year  after  year  tlie 
dissatisfaction  waxed  strono^er.  Nothiiifj  of  a 
decisive  kind  was  accomplished  till  1853  when 
the  Provincial  Legislature  passed  an  Act  autho- 
rizing the  Government  to  purchase  such  estates 
as  miglit  be  offered  for  sale  and  to  resell  them, 
in  portions,  to  the  tenants.  Between  185 1<  and 
1871,  thirteen  estates,  comprising  457,260  acres, 
were  bought  by  the  Commissioner  of  Crown 
Lands,  acting  for  Nthe  Government,  at  a  co  of 
$518,294.  In  every  case  of  re-sale  the  sum 
obtained  for  each  acre  was  larger  than  that  paid, 
so  that  the  redistribution  of  the  estates  was 
profitable  to  the  Government  as  well  as  satis- 
factory to  both  tenants  and  landlords.  The  Act 
was  permissive  only.  Like  all  permissive  legis- 
lation this  attempt  to  settle  tlie  "  land  question  " 
was  fundamentally  weak.  The  best  landlords 
readily  disposed  of  their  property,  the  Avorst  or 
the  most  useless  refused  to  come  to  terms.  Thus 
the  agitation  throughout  the  Island  did  not  abate 
and  the  call  for  a  drastic  measure  grew  louder 
and  more  gjeneral. 

In  18G0  another  attempt  was  made  to  effect  a 
settlement  of  the  popular  grievances  by  appointing 
a  Commission  to  devise  and  enforce  a  measure 
for  converting  leasehold  into  freehold  estates. 
The   Commissioners  consisted  of  the  Hon.  J.  H. 


Landlords  and  Tenants, 


109 


Gray  of  New  BrLinswick,  nominated  by  the  British 
Governmont ;  the  lion.  Joseph  Howe  of  Nova 
Scotia,  nomiocited  by  tlie  Logishitiire  of  Prince 
Edward  Island,  and  the  Hon.  J.  W.  Ritchie  of 
Hahfax,  nominated  by  the  pro;)rietors.  A  Pro- 
vincial Act  was  passed  giving  the  force  of  Law  to 
the  Commissioners'  award.  On  the  award  beingr 
published  the  proprietors  raised  a  technical  objec- 
tion to  the  manner  in  which  provision  was  made 
for  valninof  the  land.  The  Commissioners  had 
devolved  tlie  duty  of  valuing  the  land  upon  other 
persons,  whereas  tliey  ought  to  have  discliarged  it 
tliemselves.  Hence  it  was  that  their  Peport  and 
award  which  the  Duke  of  Newcastle,  then  Secre- 
tary of  State  for  the  Colonies,  pronounced  "  able 
and  impartial "  were  invalidated  and  their  labour 
led  to  no  result.  The  people  througliout  the 
Island  regarded  this  conduct  on  the  part  of  the 
proprietors  as  betokening  bad  faith  and  a  deter- 
mination to  thwart  a  thorouo-li  and  enduring: 
settleiricnt.  Accordingly  the  agitation  increased 
in  strength  and  the  demands  of  the  tenants  became 
more  extreme  as  well  as  more  menacing  to  social 
order.  A  "  Tenant's  Leao-ue  "  was  formed  with 
the  avowed  purpose  of  resisting  the  payment  of 
rents.  The  civil  power,  not  being  able  to  make 
head  against  the  opposition  to  authority,  a  mili- 
tary force  was  despatched  from  Halifax  to  aid  in 


!!  (> 


i  UW 


¥-m 


! 


i'     i 


!  I. 


,  ^  ^} 


i    ■  '' 

1:   ■; 

! 


IIO 


Prince  Edward  Island, 


upholding  and  enforcing  the  law.  Rents  were 
collected  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet ;  unless  over- 
whelming force  backed  the  demand,  they  were 
withheld.  This  lamentable  and  discreditable  state 
of  things  lasted  from  180-5  till  1875  when  the  Land 
Purchase  Act  was  passed.  Under  this  Act  the 
proprietor  of  any  piece  of  land,  or  pieces  of  land 
amountinof  in  the  ao-o-reo-ate  to  500  acres,  who  was 

O  1.-5  O         O  ' 

in  the  receipt  of  rents,  couhl  be  compelled  to  have 
his  interest  valued  bv  a  Commission  and  to  have  his 
propert}'^  transferred  to  the  Commissioner  of  Public 
Lands  in  exchange  for  the  price  fixed  by  the  Com- 
mission and  paid  to  him.  No  proprietor  who  culti- 
vated his  own  land  was  aifected  by  the  Act,  pro- 
vided his  estate  did  not  exceed  1000  acres.  The 
opposition  of  the  proprietors  to  this  Act  was  perti- 
nacious and  vehement.  A  petition  to  the  Crown 
praying  that  the  Act  might  be  disallowed,  set 
forth  that  the  Act  embodied  "  a  most  unconsti- 
tutional principle,"  that  it  was  utterly  "  destruc- 
tive to  the  rights  and  property  "  of  the  petitioners, 
that  it  reproduced  to  a  considerable  extent  in  one 
provision  "  the  worst  features  of  the  Star  Cham- 
ber," that  it  was  an  "  act  of  open  and  sweeping 
confiscation"  directed  against  persons  "whose 
only  crime  was  to  possess  land  in  Prince  Edward 
IsL>nd."  However,  the  Act  was  put  in  force,  the 
Commission  over  which  Mr.  Childirs  presided  as 


Settlement  of  the  Land  Question. 


Ill 


^esentative  of  the  Dc 


of  Canada,  held 


'ominiou 

its  sittinu:s  and  made  its  awards.  Cases  of  dis- 
content  were  common,  as  was  to  be  expected 
when  tlie  persons  affected  objected  to  the  whole 
proceedings ;  but  cases  of  real  hardship  were  rare 
and  the  Island  has  ceased  to  be  the  theatre  of 
angry  disputes  respecting  the  tenure  and  treat- 
ment of  land. 

The  proprietors'  loss  has  been  the  Island's 
gain.  I  found  general  satisfaction  as  to  the 
result.  I  learnt  also  tliat,  since  the  settle- 
ment of  the  land  question  and  the  transforma- 
tion of  leasehold  into  freehold  properties  the 
area  of  land  under  cultivation  has  largely 
increased  and  that  this  salutary  process  is  con- 
tinuing. I  have  since  read  the  last  report  of  Mr. 
Donald  Ferguson,  the  Land  Commissioner,  which 
contains  minute  and  satisfactory  details  as  to  the 
working:  of  the  Act.  The  followino'  extract  is 
instructive;  the  passage  which  I  print  in  italics  I 
consider  to  be  specially  deserving  of  attention  :  — 
"  The  sums  received  at  this  office  duriuir  the 
years  1877,  1878,  and  1879  in  payment  of  instal- 
ments, and  interest  on  purchase-money,  amount 
to  $177,878  7Gc.  A  nuich  larger  sum  would  no 
doubt  have  been  received  were  it  not  for  the  o-reat 
depression  in  trade  existing  during  that  period, 
causing  a  decline  in  the  prices  usually  received 


1! 

■■■  »     -i' 
1        ;■»:     ■'.    ' 

\     |Si:l!p| 

i      iv     '    ^ 

4-    ■.  i' 


1  Si" 


'1; 


t.:l 


^H; 


.  i 


•Pi 


Ml 


i  .1- 


112 


Prince  Edzvard  Island, 


for  aoTicultui'ixl  prdtliicts.  AYliilsb  soiiio  of  the 
tenants  are  somewhat  slow  in  meetinsf  their 
instabneuts  as  tiiey  fall  due,  tlto,  luajorlti/  are 
makliKj  commrnd'ihle  efforts  in  that  diredioii,  and 
the  iiiihllc  seutliiLCiit  In  the  Colon;/  will  sustaui  the 
Department  of  Pitl/llo  Lands  in  firmly  hut  prn- 
dentlij  enforcinij  payme}it  of  the  balances  remaining 
unj)aid  1)1/  the  tenants.^* 

A  narrow  ffuaa;e  railway,  which  runs  from  one 
end  of  the  Island  to  the  other,  is  of  great  service 
in  developing  its  agri;jultural  resources.  Fanners 
can  get  their  produce  carried  quickly  and  cheaply 
to  the  port  of  shipment.  The  railway  is  not  a 
very  pleasant  ons  to  travel  on.  There  are  no 
mountains  in  the  Island,  yet  there  are  plenty  of 
undulations  and,  as  the  line  is  carried  up  one 
slope  and  down  another  and  round  sharp  curves, 
the  consequence  is  that  the  trains  oscillate  and 
jar  to  a  great  extent.  A  serious  accident  which 
occurred  shortly  before  I  journeyed  on  the 
railwa}^,  was  attributed  to  the  imperfect  condition 
of  tlie  permanent  way  and  the  Dominion  Govern- 
ment, who  manage  the  line,  were  bitterly 
denounced  for  this  by  their  political  opponents. 
Their  political  supporters  were  quite  as  ready  to 
maintain  that  the  Government  deserved  thanks 
for  having  kept  the  line  in  excellent  condition. 
I  could  not  find  evidence  of  any  other  fault  save 


1 


Miinmcr 


•side. 


113 


that  of  running  trains  at  too  great  a  speed  over 
danoforous  curves  and  \\vA\  gradients. 

Shipbuilding  used  to  be  the  great  industry  of 
this  Island.  As  many  as  100  vessels  were  on  the 
stocks  at  one  time  in  the  several  yards,  some 
being  of  lOUO  tons  burden.  The  demand  for 
wooden  vessels  having  fallen  off,  the  Islanders  are 
tlie  losers.  At  Summerside,  I  saw  but  one  small 
vessel  on  the  stocks ;  it  was  thouglit  a  subject  of 
congratulatory  notice  in  the  newspapers  that 
another  of  (300  tons,  which  was  about  to  bo  built, 
would  give  employment  to  some  of  the  ship- 
wrights who  had  been  for  some  time  in  enforced 
idleness.  Timber  of  the  best  quality  is  so 
abundant,  labour  is  so  plentiful  and  there  are  so 
many  facilities  here  for  supplying  wooden  vessels 
of  the  highest  class  at  the  lowest  price  that, 
should  a  demand  for  them  spring  up  again,  the 
Islanders  will  have  busy  times.  I  fancy,  how- 
ever, that  wooden  hulls  are  destined  to  diminish 
in  number  and  to  be  superseded  by  iron  ones. 

Summerside,  the  second  largest  town  in  the 
Island,  is  in  communication  by  steamer  with 
Point  du  Chene,  in  New  Brunswick.  The  popu- 
lation is  not  much  more  than  8000.  An  attemyjt 
to  make  it  a  place  of  resort  for  summer  tourists 
has  failed  for  the  present.  This  consisted  in 
building  a  palatial  hotel,  called  the  Island  Park 


m. 


i 


; 


114 


Prince  Edivard  Island, 


Hotel,  on  an  island  in  tlio  Ba}''.  The  Island 
covers  200  acres  and  the  grounds  in  wliich 
the  hotel  stands  are  beautifully  laid  out ;  a  hccam 
ferry  keeps  up  communication  between  the  hotel 
and  Summersid(?.  For  a  time  the  600  rooms  in 
the  hotel  were  filled,  but  tlio  visitors  gradually 
departed  without  any  intimation  that  they  would 
return.  The  result  has  been  a  heavy  loss  to  the 
pi.'oprietor  of  the  hotel,  which  was  closed  when  I 
saw  it.  Everything  seemed  in  its  favour.  The 
situation  was  lovely ;  a  pleasanter  spot  on  which 
to  spend  a  few  days  or  weeks  it  would  be  hard  to 
find.  But  the  sojourner  in  the  Island  Park 
Hotel  found  that  it  was  less  of  a  paradise  than 
might  have  been  supposed.  I  was  told  that  the 
Island  produces  mosquitoes  of  a  specially  vicious 
and  persevering  character,  and  that  these  mos- 
quitoes did  not  rest  till  they  had  made  the  hotel 
too  hot  for  its  occupants.  I  have  known  cases  of 
eyes  being  closed  owing  to  mosquito  stings,  but  I 
never  before  heard  of  mosquitoes  shutting  up  a 
hotel.  It  is  certain  that  the  hotel  was  a  failure 
and  it  is  possible  that  the  mosquitoes  were 
unjustly  blamed  for  a  misfortune  which  might 
have  been  due  to  other  causes.  I  did  not  sojourn 
on  the  Island  where  the  hotel  stands ;  I  cannot 
write  from  personal  knowledge  of  its  character  as 
the  hunting-ground  for  sanguinary  insects,  but  I 


■^ 


CJiarloitdozvn  and  its  Suburbs, 


115 


Cfin  say  tliat  I  was  untroubled  bj  mosquitoes  in 
Prince  Edward  Island. 

Charlottetown,  the  Capital,  is  tlio  largest  city  in 
the  Island  and  even  it  does  not  contain  more  than 
10,000  inhabitants.  Its  situation  is  admirable, 
being:  built  on  a  risiuGC   e:round   at   the   bottom 

CD  Cj         CD 

of  Hillsborough  Bay  and  at  the  confluence  of  the 
rivers  Hillsborough,  York,  and  Elliot.  From  the 
upper  part  of  the  city  the  prospect  is  charming ; 
in  the  distance  are  the  hills  of  Nova  Scotia, 
between  them  and  the  Island  lie  the  Straits  of 
Northumberland  and  many  sheets  of  water  filling 
irresfular  indentations  in  the  shore,  as  well  as 
many  small  islands  or  promoncories  covered  with 
trees.  There  are  several  important  buildings  in 
Charlottetown,  the  principal  one  being  the  Colonial 
Building,  where  the  Government  officials  and  the 
Lesrislature  are  accommodated.  The  suburbs 
contain  neat  villas,  surrounded  with  flower- 
gardens  tastefully  laid  out  and  well  kept.  In 
traversing  this  Island  and  visiting  the  private 
houses  and  living  in  the  hotels,  one  is  pleasantly 
reminded  of  the  Old  AVorld ;  there  is  not  much 
bustle  and  there  is  much  more  comfort.  Times 
do  not  appear  to  have  changed  materially  since 
the  Island  was  divided  into  three  counties, 
Kings,  Queens  and  Princes,  and  since  the 
chief  streets  of  its  capital  were  traced  and  named 

I  2 


H^ 


1 


'--'^i»M0^^(!*?"''"V":ii'''^*V)!t^.V'i^'"'' 


iii: 


ii6 


Prince  Edivard  Island. 


m- 


|! 


Kent,  Dorcliostor,  Grafton,  Qiicon  nnd  Crrnt 
Geor^'t\  The  conductors  of  the  nc\vsi)a|)c'rs  are 
less  disposed  th[in  the  otlier  Prince  Edwai'd 
Islanders  to  take  life  easily  and  quietly.  They 
dis[)lay  much  energy  and  fertility  in  personal 
attack  and  recrimination.  The  newspapers  often 
contain  specimens  of  the  style  of  journalism 
typified  by  the  Eaimi^wlll  Gazette.  Professional 
politicians,  who  are  as  active  and  unpopular  here 
as  they  are  in  other  parts  of  North  America, 
frequently  make  public  statements  about  each 
other's  motives  and  conduct  which  the  charitable 
stranger  must  hope  are  grossly  exaggerated,  if 
not  wholly  unfounded. 

Thouo-li  the  smallest  Province  of  Canada,  this 
one  is  not  the  least  worthy  of  a  visit.  The  future 
of  the  Island  will  probably  resemble  its  past  in  all 
respects  save  the  controversy  concerning  the  land 
question,  and  also  in  the  advance  in  wealth  and 
population  going  on  at  an  accelerated  speed.  It 
is  possible  that  coal  exists  at  a  great  depth,  and  it 
is  known  that  a  small  quantity  of  iron  ore  exists, 
but  the  only  natural  wealth  of  the  Island  is  in  the 
trees  which  still  remain  and  show  how  the  whole 
country  looked  when  it  was  entirely  covered  with 
forest,  in  the  soil  which  is  very  fertile,  in  the 
game  which  is  very  plentiful  and  in  the  fish  which 
swarm  around  the  Island  and  fill  its  many  rivers. 


w 

ail 

Ol 


rel 


th 
th 

P^ 
T^ 


Governor  John  Ready s  Ad))iinist ration.     1 1 7 

DiiririfT  sovoral  ^'(^firs  of  its  carl>^lii>itory,  complaints 
were  made  as  to  the  injury  wrou<»lit  by  the  ra[)acity 
and  tyranny  of  tlie  Governors  sent  from  Enghmd. 
One  of  them,  Governor  Smitli,  was  actually 
removed  in  1813  for  misconduct,  in  deference 
to  the  strong  complaints  of  the  inhabitants.  Since 
the  Island  has  enjoyed  responsible  government, 
that  is  since  1851,  its  rulers  have  not  had  the 
power,  even  if  inspired  with  a  wish  to  do,  mischief. 
The  pleasantest  memories  of  bygone  days  are 
associated  with  Governor  John  Ready  who  dis- 
played a  benevolent  dis[)osition  and  a  sincere 
desire  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the  peo[)le.  It 
was  in  1827,  during  his  Administration,  that  the 
first  Census  was  taken,  the  population  being 
found  to  number  23,2G().  At  the  beginning  of 
the  century  the  number  was  5000.  The  census 
of  1871  showed  that  the  population  had  increased 
to  94,021 ;  it  is  estimated  that  about  15,000  have 
been  added  to  the  people  during  the  last  ten 
years.  These  statistics  prove  a  steady  increase  in 
population  and  there  is  no  apparent  reason  why 
the  progress  should  be  speedily  arrested. 

After  visiting  the  Maritime  Provinces  of  Canada, 
I  was  struck  with  the  advantage  which  they  would 
derive  from  a  legislative  union.  Before  the  Con- 
federation Act  of  1867  was  passed,  it  had  been 


if 

\  I ' 


•!  IN 


i   I 


■'  S\ 


'•^i 


ii8 


Prince  Edivard  Island, 


j)roposc(l  to  confedorato  tlio  IMavitimc  Provinces, 
but  tlio  jealousy  and  opposition  of  each  was  too 
great  to  bo  surmounted.  Since  becoming  Pro- 
vinces of  the  Dominion,  complaints  are  frecpiently 
made  that  they  do  not  exercise  so  much  influence 
at  Ottawa  as  the  Provinces  of  Quebec  and  Ontario. 
This  grievance  would  bo  mitigated  or  removed  if 
they  joined  their  forces  and  acted  as  a  unit. 
Their  interests  are  identical;  a  single  Provincial 
Legislature  could  provide  for  their  local  affairs, 
while  as  a  united  body,  they  would  command 
greater  respect  in  tlie  Dominion  Parliament. 
Home  rule  has  its  advantages ;  but,  Avhon  three 
legislatures  exist  in  a  population  of  800,000,  the 
cost  of  homo  rule  is  greater  than  the  benefit. 
AVhether  the  Maritime  Provinces  make  this 
cliange  or  whether  they  remain  as  they  are,  they 
will  be  the  better  appreciated  in  Europe,  the  more 
they  are  known,  and  the  tourist  who  desires  to  see 
new  places  will  find  a  trip  through  them  both 
enjoyable  and  insir;.ictive.  The  time  wasted  by 
ambitious  travellers  ia  aimless  journeys  j-ound  the 
world  and  in  descri'jing  what  they  had  imperfectly 
seen  and  understood,  would  be  more  advan- 
tageouJy  expended,  while  literature  might  have  a 
lesser  quantity  of  rubbish  added  to  it,  if  they 
leisurely  traversed  and  trnthfully  described  the 
Maritime  Provinces  of  Canada. 


.  CHAPTER  V. 

INTERCOLOXfAL,    GKANI)     TIJl'NK,     AND     NORTHERN 

RAILWAYS. 

In  1838  tlio  Earl  of  Durham  strongly  urged  the 
British  Government  to  construct  a  railway 
between  Halifax  and  Quebec.  In  187G  the  Inter- 
colonial Railway  was  completed  and  opened  for 
traffic.  AVhen  passengers  were  first  enabled  in 
18G9  to  travel  by  rail  from  New  York  to  San 
Francisco,  they  rejoiced  that  this  had  been  rendered 
possible.  It  was  not  remembered  that  the  con- 
struction of  a  Pacific  Railway  was  advocated  by 
John  Plumbe  in  I80G.  The  rule  is  for  a  great 
national  undertaking  to  be  delayed  at  least  thirty 
years  longer  than  is  absolutely  necessary.  A 
generation  often  passes  away  before  the  project 
of  a  far-seeing  man  is  carried  into  effect  by  tlie 
persons  whom  he  has  converted  to  his  views  and 
who,  when  they  see  the  feasibility  and  success  of 


•i! 


■*'**f.3"iaffi>ir- 


I20 


Intercolonial  Raihvay. 


\  \ 


tlie  iiTidertaklng'  are  ready  enough  to  appropriato 
the  credit  which  is  his  due. 

The  first  objection  made  to  tlie  Intercolonial 
Railway,  wdiile  it  was  still  tlie  subject  of  considera- 
tion, was  that  it  could  not  be  constructed ;  the 
second  was  that,  if  constructed,  traffic  over  it 
would  be  suspended  during  the  winter  months ; 
the  third  and,  in  the  opinion  of  most  persons,  the 
conclusive  one  was  that,  even  if  constructed,  it 
could  not  possibly  pay.  The  objections  made  in 
the  United  States  to  the  Pacific  Railway  were  of 
the  same  character  and  were  equally  conclusive. 
Enofineerinof  skill  has  overcome  all  natural 
obstacles  in  both  cases.  The  trains  on  both  lines 
run  with  regularity  all  the  year  round,  and  both 
are  successful  railway  undertakings.  With  re- 
gard to  all  such  undertakings  as  great  trunk 
railways  or  interoceanic  canals,  the  prophecies 
of  failure  are  the  only  things  connected  with  them 
which  usually  remain  unfulfilled. 

The  Intercolonial  Railway  is  the  most  palpable 
result  of  Canadian  Confederation.  At  a  meeting 
held  at  Quebec  in  1864  of  the  delegates  from  the 
Provinces  which  first  constituted  the  Dominion  of 
Canada  it  was  resolved,  and  this  resolution  was 
afterwards  incorporated  in  the  Imperial  Act 
creating  the  Dominion,  that  "  the  general  govern- 
ment shall  secure,  without  delay,  the  completion 


Or 


ie'in  and  CJiaracter 


121 


of  tlie  Intercolonial  Railway  from  Riviere  da 
Loup,  through  New  Brunswick,  to  Truro,  in  Nova 
Scotia."  In  accordance  with  this  resolution  and 
with  a  capital  of  3,000,000/.  raised  under  Imperial 
guarantee,  the  construction  of  the  railway  was 
begun  in  18G9.  Several  surveys  and  plans  for  a 
railway  had  been  made  at  an  earlier  day.  The 
first  scheme  referred  to  a  line,  surveyed  by  Mnjor 
Yule,  R.B.,  which  was  to  run  from  St.  Andrew's  in 
New  Brunswick  to  Quebec  and  which  a  joint- 
stock  Company  >^as  to  construct  with  the  sanction 
of  the  British  Government.  The  International 
dispute  as  to  the  boundary  between  New  Bruns- 
wick and  the  State  of  Maine  caused  the  postpone- 
ment of  this  undertaking,  and  the  Ashburton  treaty 
under  which  certain  territory,  claimed  and 
occupied  by  Great  Britain,  was  ceded  to  the  United 
States,  caused  the  project  to  be  abandoned.  Several 
other  plans  for  constructing  a  railway  from  the 
sea-board  to  Quebec  through  British  territory  wore 
successively  mooted,  matured  and  laid  aside.  The 
great  work  was  ultimately  begun  and  completed, 
without  half  the  difficulty  vvhich  was  expected  and 
with  more  advantage  to  those  primarily  affected 
than  had  been  imagined  or  foretold. 

Though  not  so  gigantic  a  work  as  the  Pacific 
Railway  from  Omaha  to  San  Francisco,  it  is  yet 
no  trifling  dis[)lay  of  engineering  capacity.     Its 


1  i 


m 


m\ 


122 


Intercolonial  Raihvay, 


total  lenp^tli,  including  branches  to  Pictou  and 
Sliediac,  is  713  miles.  A  more  substantial  lino  of 
rail  is  not  to  be  found  anywhere.  The  permanent 
way  is  in  admirable  condition ;  the  rails  are  of 
steel ;  the  bridges  are  of  stone  or  iron ;  the  engines 
and  carriaofes  are  made  of  the  best  materials  and 
on  the  latest  models  in  the  Government  workshops 
at  Moncton.  It  is  indisputable  that  the  snowfall 
is  very  heavy  and  the  cold  is  intense  in  winter 
throughout  much  of  the  country  through  which  the 
line  runs.  A  part  of  it  passes  along  a  tract  743 
feet  above  the  sea  level.  In  the  Metapedia 
Valley  the  weather  is  frequently  severe,  3^et  the 
detention  of  a  train  owing  to  bad  weather  is  rarer 
than  in  tlie  Highlands  of  Scotland.  This  is 
largely  due  to  the  careful  provision  which  has  been 
made  for  all  contingencies.  Wherever  the  snow 
is  like'y  to  drift  and  bar  the  passage  of  a  train, 
fences  have  been  erected  to  keep  it  off  the  line ; 
where  it  miglit  fill  up  a  cutting,  snow  sheds  have 
been  built ;  one  of  these  sheds,  which  is  upwards 
of  a  miie  in  length,  cost  $1,000,000.  In  this  case, 
however,  the  outlay  has  proved  to  be  judicious 
economy.  Only  a  short  section  of  the  line  has 
baffled  the  efforts  of  the  engineers  to  render  it 
perf(^ctly  free  from  risk  or  trouble ;  this  consists 
of  a  vast  slope  composed  of  clay  down  which,  in 
the  spring-time,  a  heavy  mass  sometimes   slides 


Workshops  at  Moncton, 


123 


and  sweeps  rails  and  everytliing  else  before  it. 
Various  remedies  have  been  tried  in  vain.  As  the 
clajis  of  excellent  quality  and  bricks  are  in  demand, 
it  might  serve  a  double  purpose  to  erect  a  bi  ick- 
making  machine  and  thus  turn  the  erratic  clay  to 
useful  account. 

During  my  visit  to  Moncton,  the  headquarters 
of  the  Railway,  I  had  the  privilege  of  inspecting  the 
Company's  workshops  and  offices  under  the 
guidance  of  Mr.  Bruce,  the  Chief  Clerk,  who  was  in 
temporary  charge  during  the  absence  of  Mr. 
Pottinger,  the  Government  Superintendent,  to 
whom  I  had  an  introduction.  1  was  impressed 
with  the  business-like  way  in  which  everything 
"was  arranged  and  executed.  The  workshops  are 
on  a  large  scale,  consisting  of  three  huge  buildings 
which  cover  70  acres ;  as  many  as  2000  men  being 
employed  wdien  the  demand  for  making  or  repair- 
ing cars  and  locomotives  is  at  its  height.  A  proof 
of  the  care  with  which  the  line  is  manao-ed  is  the 
fact  that  carefully  compiled  Meteorological  tables 
are  kept  at  each  station  and  forwarded  at  regular 
intervals  to  the  head  office,  where  they  are  filed 
for  reference.  This  may  seem  supei'fluons,  yet 
it  is  an  eminently  sensible  as  well  as  a  practi- 
cal arrangement.  Should  the  Manager  be  called 
upon  to  make  compensation  for  damage  to  goods 
ill   course   of   transit,    it   may   happen   that   the 


!;Md 


fivpcmigvft" 


liil 


!i  5 


^  I! 


124 


Intercolonial  Railivay, 


damage  is  entirely  due  to  excessive  heat  or  exces- 
sive cold  or  to  a  condition  of  the  weather  which 
exonerates  the  railway  authorities  from  blame  and 
from  any  liability  to  pay  damages.  By  referring  to 
the  Meteorological  tables  on  the  given  day  at 
the  place  in  question,  the  state  of  the  weather  can 
be  ascertained  and  thus  a  dispute  may  be  averted 
or  settled. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  Intercolonial 
Railway  is  excellently  constructed  and  admirably 
managed.  The  Chief  Clerk,  Mr.  Bruce,  who 
readily  afforded  me  all  the  information  I  desired 
and  displayed  a  courtesy  which  I  heartily  acknow- 
ledge, and  Mr.  Pottinger,  the  Superintendent, 
whose  praise  I  heard  from  many  mouths  and 
whose  ability  is  demonstrated  by  his  success, 
evidently  do  their  duty  without  reproach.  Yet  I 
am  not  convinced  that  a  great  railway  should  bo 
a  Government  undertaking.  The  temptation  to 
appoint  or  promote  railway  officers  for  party  ser- 
vices rather  than  for  personal  merit  is  hard  to 
resist  and  it  is  not  easy  to  satisfy  the  public  that 
Government  patronage  is  uninfluenced  by  political 
considerations.  Whenever  this  line  is  a  paying 
property  the  Canadian  Government  w^ould  show 
wisdom  in  leasing  it  for  a  term  of  years.  They 
would  then  be  able  to  count  upon  an  annual  return 
without  running  any  risk.     Hitherto  the  working 


Scenery  along  the  Line, 


125 


expenses  liave  boon  in  excess  of  the  receipts,  but 
the  clays  of  deficits  appear  to  be  numbered.  The 
rate  of  increase  has  been  rapid  and,  with  one 
exception,  continuous.  In  187G-7  the  deficit  was 
$307,000;  in  1877-8,  it  was  S-2;32,000;  in  1878-9, 
it  was  $547,867 ;  in  1879-80,  it  fell  to  $97,131. 
A  profit  has  accrued  at  the  time  I  write.  This 
is  the  manner  in  which  the  prediction  has  been 
justified  that  the  Intercolonial  Avould  never  earn 
enough  wherewith  to  pay  for  the  grease  on  the 
axles  of  the  wheels. 

The  Intercoloniid  Railway  is  not  only  an  in- 
valuable means  of  intercommunication  between 
the  Maritime  and  mid-Provinces  of  Canada,  but 
it  offers  many  attractions  to  tourists.  From  Hali- 
fax to  Quebec  the  distance  is  ^'$>^  miles.  After 
leaving  Halifax  the  scenery  begins  to  attract  the 
beholder,  nothing  can  be  more  charming  than  the 
chain  of  lakes  with  wooded  islands  nor  can  any- 
thing be  more  weird  than  the  tract  of  country 
strewn  with  boulders.  About  thirty  miles  along 
the  way  the  Gold  quartz  mining  district  is  reached. 
Ten  miles  further  on  is  Shubenncadie  on  a  river  of 
that  name  which  divides  Nova  Scotia  into  two 
parts  and  abounds  in  shad  and  salmon.  I  was 
told  that  the  sunsets  at  Shubcnacadie  were  gor- 
geous in  the  extreme.  The  statement  was  verified 
in  my  own  experience ;  never  have  I  seen  sunsets 


■•r^'!y-i^-ir;m»fffh>^'^' 


mi 


126 


Intercolonial  Railway, 


elsewhere  tliat  presented  so  many  marvellous  and 
brilliant  effects.  Truro,  a  refreshment  station, 
was  a  small  village  before  the  railway  was  made ; 
now  it  is  a  town  of  5000  inhabitants.  Ifc  is  sur- 
rounded by  meadows  and  it  has  the  benefit  of  the 
ocean  breeze  from  the  Bay  of  Fundy.  At  London- 
derry, a  station  further  on,  shipbuilding  is  the 
chief  industry.  Here  the  Acadian  Charcoal  Iron 
Compa'  "'s  works  are  situated ;  these  works  have 
been  acquired  by  English  capitalists.  The  outlay 
upon  them  ^ns  been  300,000L  and  they  are  ex- 
pected to  yield,  when  in  full  operation,  20,000 
tons  of  pig  iron  annually.  The  railway  runs 
throuoh  the  small  settlement  of  Ishofonish,  where 
rabbits  are  as  plentiful  as  at  Ostend.  A  local 
firm  catches  and  tins  these  rabbits  and  exports 
them  to  England.  The  tins  are  labelled  "  Pre- 
served Hare.'*  Purchasers  of  Nova  Scotia  pre- 
served hare  ought  to  see  that  the  contents  of  the 
tins  tally  with  the  label.  Tlie  course  of  the  hne 
over  the  Cobequid  Hills  is  very  picturesque,  tho 
elevation  reached  being  600  feet,  and  the  view  both 
far  and  near  being  exceedingly  beautiful.  Where 
the  level  country  is  gained  lies  the  village  of  Oxford, 
which  is  noted  for  its  manufactures  of  carpenters' 
tools  and  wooden  boxes.  After  entering  the 
Province  of  New  Brunswick,  the  most  notable 
place  on  the  line  is  Dorchester  on  the  left  bank 


Newcastle^ 


127 


[ 


of  tlie  Peticddiac  River.  Near  this  place  a  mineral 
called  "jet  coal  "  is  found  in  large  quantities.  It 
is  as  rich  in  gas  as  cannel  coal.  I  pass  over 
Moncton  wliicli  I  have  already  described  and 
name  Newcastle  as  next  in  order  of  note.  It  is 
the  most  important  business  place  in  New  Bruns- 
wick after  St.  John.  Like  St.  John  it  has  been 
swept  away  by  fire  and  rebuilt  in  a  more  attrac- 
tive style  though  not  a  more  substantial  manner, 
wood  being  principally  used  instead  of  stone  which 
is  quite  as  abundant  and  nearly  as  cheap.  The 
Miramichi  river  on  which  it  is  situated  is  one 
of  the  largest  in  the  Province,  being  220  miles 
long  and  having  a  width  of  9  miles  at  its  mouth. 
At  Bathurst  the  sightseer,  as  well  as  the  angler, 
will  be  repaid  should  he  visit  the  Grand  Falls  on 
the  Nequissiquit  River.  These  Falls  are  IrlO  feet 
in  height,  and  are  sublime  specimens  of  natural 
scenery.  On  the  banks  of  anotlier  river,  the  TOte- 
a-Gauche,  is  to  be  found  the  curious  Wax-yielding 
plant,  Mijva  Gonifera ;  candles  made  from  this 
wax  are  commonly  used  in  the  locality.  Camp- 
bellton,  which  is  372  miles  from  Halifax  is  a  place 
well  known  to  the  passengers  who  leave  by  the 
niglit  express  on  Saturday,  as  they  have  to  remain 
here  all  Sunday,  the  running  of  trains  being  for- 
bidden on  Sunday  in  Canada.  The  attractions  of 
Campbell  ton,  which  greatly  resemble  those  of  the 


'■■{' 


wm 


^'^mm^emsmsmm'^- 


xiiSiJ 


■H 


'■ 


■M  ;    f|:| 


■  i' 


128 


Intercolonial  Railway. 


J!i 


5 

1  f 


1 


town  in  Scotland  after  wliich  it  was  named,  would 
be  more  appreciated  if  tliey  were  not  seen  under 
compulsion.  From  tliis  point  to  Metapedia  the 
first  village  in  the  Province  of  Quebec,  the  scenery 
is  diversified  and  the  places  at  which  the  tourist 
might  lialt  are  many.  No  finer  fishing  can  bo 
had  anywhere  than  in  the  Restigouche  and  Meta- 
pedia Rivers ;  the  valleys  of  both  streams  abound 
with  game  while  the  scenery  is  on  as  vast  and  im- 
posing a  scale  as  in  the  Alps,  while  it  has  at  times 
all  the  soft  effects  which  enchant  the  traveller  in 
the  Pyrenees.  A  pretty  place  in  the  Metapedia 
Valley  bears  the  unpronounceable  name  of  Assa- 
metquaghan.  Shortly  after  this  valley  is  left 
behind,  the  line  nears  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  runs 
at  no  great  distance  from  it  for  upwards  of  200 
miles  till  entering  the  terminus  at  Point  Levi 
opposite  Quebec.  Here  the  Intercolonial  ends 
and  the  Grand  Trunk  begins.  In  the  latter  part 
of  the  journey  there  are  many  places  which  tempt 
a  halt,  chief  among  them  is  Cacouna  the  fashion- 
able watering-place  of  the  Dominion.  Here  the 
visitors  can  amuse  themselves  by  bathing,  boat- 
ing, fishing  and  shooting.  There  are  several  large 
and  well-managed  hotels  at  Cacouna,  which  is  not 
only  a  pleasant  place  of  resort  for  the  holiday- 
maker,  but  also  enjoys  the  reputation  of  restoring 
health  to  invalids. 


Mr.  Justice  Ilciuy, 


129 


I  jonrnevod  over  tlio  Intercolonial  from  Sfc. 
Jolin  to  Sliediac, from  I'iciou  to  lliilifax  and  from 
Halifax  to  Quebec.  A  piece  of  pleasant  personal 
experience  on  the  last  journey  deserves  mention. 
This  consisted  in  forming  the  acquaintance  of 
Mr.  Justice  Henry,  a  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  Canada.  He  is  a  native  of  Nova  Scotia  and 
took  a  leading  part  in  the  aifairs  of  that  Province. 
He  was  an  earnest  advocate  of  the  Intercolonial 
Hallway  and  of  tlie  Canadian  Confederation.  In 
addition  to  being  an  active  and  a  respected  poli- 
tician, he  distinguished  himself  as  a  law  reformer; 
it  was  at  his  suo-ofestion  and  under  his  <2rnidance 
that  the  Statutes  of  his  native'  Province  were  re- 
vised, a  work  which  was  praised  in  the  House  of 
Lords  by  Lord  Campbell,  then  Lord  Chancellor. 
The  reforms  in  legal  procedure  introduced  by  him 
are  vast  improvements  on  the  old  state  of  things. 
At  a  dinner  given  in  his  honour  by  the  Bar  of 
Nova  Scotia  in  187G,  after  his  appointment  as 
Justice  of  tlie  Supreme  Court  and  before  his  de- 
parture for  Ottawa,  the  Lieutenant-Governor,  ]\lr. 
Ai'chibaldjSaid  "  It  is  fair  to  say  that  on  our  smaller 
scale  Mr.  Justice  Henrv  has  had  the  honour  of 
initiatino'  in  tliis  Province  something"  in  the  same 
line  of  policy  wliich  has  lately  been  carried  out  in 
England.  If  his  bill  did  not  succeed  at  once,  it, 
at  all  events,  entitles  him  to  be  considered  as  one 

E 


Irii 


I  ■,(.. 


,a'«'W«;?'.J^JWSJf»;- 


1.^0 


Grand  Trunk  Raihvay, 


I '  I' 

ml 


oftlic  onrliost  and  oldc^^t  ndvocatcs  in  tliis  country 
of  a  policy  on  the  subject  of  judicial  tribunals, 
Avliicli  has,  after  a  long  struggle,  ])rcvailed  in  the 
Mother  country."  I  was  gratified  to  learn  from 
Mr.  Justice  Henry  that  the  Canadian  Supremo 
Court  is  working  satisfactorily  and  fully  attaining 
the  objects  of  its  originators.  The  cost  of  litiga- 
tion is  reduced,  owing  to  appeals  to  the  Privy 
Council  occurring  in  exceptional  cases  only.  The 
existence  of  the  Supreme  Court  adds  to,  while 
gratifying  national  feeling  in  Canada.  I  have 
had  the  good  fortnne  to  become  acquainted  with 
several  Canadian  Judges  and  I  have  been  impressed 
not  only  with  their  professional  attainments,  but 
with  their  readiness  to  adapt  themselves  to 
changes  of  every  kind  and  with  their  power  of 
dealing  with  all  matters  as  men  of  the  world  as 
well  as  trained  lawyers.  Among  them  Mr.  Justice 
Henry  is  not  the  least  notable. 


TI. 

The  Grand  Trunk  Railway  of  Canada  is  a  sadly 
familiar  name  in  many  an  English  household. 
When  the  line  was  projected  its  shares  and  bonds 
w^ere  considered  so  good  and  safe  an  investment 
that  thrifty  parents  bought  them  as  a  provision 
for  their  wives   and  children.     During  its  con- 


]\Ir.  HUksons  Management, 


131 


strnctioTi  tlic  Interest  on  the  bonds  was  pnnctnally 
paid.  It  is  now  dillicult  to  credit  that  the  Fourth 
Preference  Bonds  were  once  quoted  at  upwards 
of  70/.  each  in  the  Stock  Exchange  official  list. 
After  the  opening  of  the  Victoria  Bridge,  when 
the  interest  on  the  bonds  was  to  be  paid  out  of 
earnings,  many  an  English  family  was  reduced  to 
poverty,  no  surplus  having  accrued  wherewith  to 
meet  the  interest  on  all  the  bonds  and  to  divide 
something  among  the  shareholders.  Writing  on 
"  Railways  ;  their  Cost  and  Profits  "  in  tlie  West- 
minster  Reclcio  for  October  18G2, 1  stated  that  the 
Grand  Trunk  Railway  was  perhaps  the  most  vm- 
successful  undertaking:  of  the  time  :  *'  it  has  been 
made  fifty  years  too  soon  for  profit,  but  not  a  day 
too  soon  for  the  Province."  This  prediction  has  as 
good  a  prospect  of  being  verified  as  any  prediction 
about  the  future  of  a  railway.  The  receipts  are 
now  increasing  so  largely  that  bondholders  wlio 
despaired  of  their  lot  are  now  receiving  a  return, 
and  the  case  of  the  shareholders  has  ceased  to  be 
absolutely  hopeless.  This  pleasing  rr  msformation 
is  due,  both  to  the  progressive  improvement  in 
trafiic,  and  to  the  great  organizing  and  administra- 
tive ability  of  the  General  Manager,  Mr.  Ilickson, 
whose  policy  has  been  ably  carried  into  effect  by 
his  assistant  Mr.  Drinkwater  and  a  well- selected 
and  an  efiicient  stalT. 

K  2 


m 


!  I 

1 

! 

:      1 


1 

•   I' 


I 


. 


11 1- 


w 


132 


Grand  Trunk  Raihvay* 


Tlio  traveller  bound  AVest  from  the  city  of 
Quebec  can  now  joui'ney  over  the  Gi'and  T  \' 
as  far  as  Chicago.  By  securing  a  (lii'ect  tbrougli 
line  to  the  great  city  of  Illinois,  tlie  ]\Ianager  and 
Directors  of  the  Grand  Trunk  have  displayed  as 
much  judgment  as  boldness.  Moreover,  the  Inter- 
colonial acts  as  a  feeder  to  tlieir  line,  so  that  the 


by  rail 


[broken  bet^ 


Halifu 


connexion  by  rail  is  unhroken  between  iiaiiiax  on 
the  Atlantic  and  Chicago  on  Lake  Michigan. 

A  feeder  to  the  Grand  Trunk  of  great  value  is 
now  in  course  of  construction.  It  starts  from  Sher- 
brooke  and  runs  throuii:h  New  Brunswick  till  't 
joins  therailway  in  thatProvince  which  now  ru^ 
St.  John.  The  saving  in  distance  between  the  sea- 
board and  Montreal  over  this  line  will  be  200  miles, 
and  the  result  may  be  to  make  St.  John  a  still 
more  dangerous  rival  to  Halifax.  It  is  possible 
also  that  the  Intercolonial  may  be  injuriously 
affected,  yet  of  this  I  am  very  doubtful.  The 
local  traffic  on  the  Intercolonial  will  not  be  di- 
minished, and  this  is  quite  as  remunerative  as  the 
through  traffic.  Indeed,  there  is  ample  room  for 
both  lines.  When  this  new  route  is  open  the 
Grand  Trunk  will  have  three  termini  on  the 
Atlantic,  one  at  Portland  in  JMnine,  a  second  at 
Halifax  in  Nova  Scotia  and  a  third  at  St.  John  in 
New  Brunswick.  AVhen  the  Canadian  Pacific 
Kailway  is  finished,  the  Grand  Trunk  will  form 


( 


CiiU  of  Traffic. 


IZ?> 


< 


an  important  and  profitable  link  in  tlic  iron  road 
■\vliicli  will  then  pass  across  British  Territory 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  oceans. 

It  is  eleven  years  since  I  first  travelled  over  the 
Grand  Trunk  Railway  ;  on  my  last  journey  I  could 
scarcely  fancy  that  the  line  was  the  same,  so  com- 
plete had  been  the  improvement  in  the  interval. 
At  the  date  of  my  earliest  trip  over  the  Grand 
Trunk,  the  chance  of  arriving  at  the  appointed 
hour  was  very  slight;  the  probability  of  a  break- 
down, if  not  of  a  serious  accident,  being  \Gry  great, 
the  oscillation  and  jumping  of  the  cars  being 
intolerable.  Now,  the  trains  run  with  remarkable 
punctuality  and  \\'\\]\  a  smoothness  equal  to  that 
on  the  best  raihvay  in  England  or  elsewhere;  acci- 
dents have  happily  become  very  rare,  it  seems 
to  me  that  there  is  as  much  goods  and  passenger 
traffic  on  the  line  as  can  be  accommodated  ; 
the  pressure  on  the  rolling  stock  is  specially 
severe  between  Montreal  and  Toronto.  Another 
line  of  rails  may  yet  have  to  be  added  between 
these  two  places.  I  think,  however,  that  the 
struffofles  of  the  Grand  Trunk  as  a  commercial 
undertakino:  are  nearins:  their  close  and  that  the 
long  expected  period  of  prosperity  is  about  to 
begin.  Everything  that  can  be  done  by  skilful 
management  to  make  the  line  remunerative  has 
been  carefully  attended  to,  and  the  shareholders 


'^tm'^--:^m'~'-' 


Esra 


134 


Northern  Railway, 


may  yet  find  that  their  patience  has  not  been  tried 
in  vain,  and  that  the  sanguine  expectations  which 
they  once  cherished  about  future  profits  were 
premature  rather  than  baseless. 


III. 

While  the  Grand  Trunk  runs  west  beyond 
Toronto,  another  line,  the  Northern,  running  in 
a  north-westerly  direction,  connects  that  city 
with  Coliingwood  on  Georgian  Bay.  The  distance 
between  the  two  places  is  95  miles.  At  AUandale 
a  branch  runs  to  the  Muskoka  district,  that  pic- 
turesque region  of  wood  and  water  which  bears 
many  resembhmces  to  the  Highlands  of  Scotland. 
The  total  length  of  the  Northern  Avith  its 
branches  is  167  miles.  It  has  been  under  the 
management  of  Colonel  Cumberland  since  1859. 
Before  his  advent,  the  prospect  of  the  line  becom- 
ing remunerative  was  very  slight.  A  great  change 
for  the  better  has  now  taken  place,  the  vigour 
and  ability  of  Colonel  Cumberland  having  altered 
the  pro:-])ects  of  the  railway.  Not  only  is  the  line 
in  an  admirable  state  for  transporting  goods  and 
passengers,  but  its  stations  are  models  of  neatness 
and  good  taste.  The  sight  of  a  pretty  garden  at 
a  station  is  common  enough  in  England,  but  it  is 


Mtiskoka  Lakes, 


135 


so  rare  in  Canada  and  the  United  States  that  tlie 
flowers,  grass  find  shrubbery  at  the  stations  on 
the  Northern  Ilailway  impress  a  stranger  as  ex- 
ceedingly effective. 

The  country  through  which  tlie  Northern  Rail- 
way runs  after  leaving  Toronto  is  well  adapted 
for  farming.  The  Vale  of  Aurora  is  a  district  in 
which  good  grain  is  grown  and  liorses  and  sheep 
of  the  best  kinds  are  reared.  Bevond  the  villao;e 
of  Aurora  is  Newmarket  which  is  noted  for  manu- 
factures. Half-way  between  Toronto  and  Col- 
lingwood  is  the  Holland  River  Marsh,  a  spot 
where  snipe  and  wild  duck  abound  and  Avhere 
there  is  also  excellent  fishinnf.  At  AUandale,  the 
junction  for  the  Muskoka  branch,  the  pm.=?pect  is 
lovely.  This  place  and  Barrie  are  on  Ketnpenfeldt 
Bay  in  Lake  Sinic(ie.  This  Lake  as  well  as  the 
Lakes  in  the  Muskoka  district  are  not  like  the 
huge  inland  seas  which  entirely  upset  the  ideas  of 
Lakes  formed  by  visitors  to  the  north  of  England, 
the  Highlands  of  Scotland  and  to  Switzerland. 
The  sheets  of  water  in  this  part  of  Cauada  while 
seldom  too  vast  to  be  embraced  at  a  single  glance, 
'are  exquisite  in  thei.  surroundings. 

It  is  fifteen  vears  since  the  Muskoka  district 
was  thrown  open  for  settlement  and  free  grants 
of  land  were  made  to  those  person c;  who  should 
fix  their  homes  there.     The  influx  of  settlers  has 


\«'msmw:*»^K*'><frm-ymm!^0^^ 


136 


Northern  Railway, 


been  considerable ;  tlie  inbabitants  nnn^bored  300 
in  18G1  ;  tbey  now  number  about  10,000.  Many 
persons  liave  been  disappointed  because  the  land 
is  of  small  value  for  the  agriculturist,  thougb 
furnishing  a  beautiful  prospect  t  ohe  tourist. 
The  settler  naturally  prefers  fine  soil  to  fine 
scenery.  ]\roreover,  the  country  was  in  a  wild 
state  wlien  the  first  settlers  went  thither  and  was 
not  so  easily  farmed  as  in  the  west,  where  the 
prairie  is  ready  for  the  plough.  But  the  early 
failures  of  a  few  have  been  the  exceptions  and  the 
country  is  now  becoming  filled  with  industrious 
and  thriving  families.  Year  after  year  it  is  grow- 
ing in  favour  as  a  place  of  summer  resort,  being 
to  Ontario  what  the  Highlands  are  to  England. 
All  this  brings  traffic  to  the  Northern  Railway. 

CoUingwood  is  the  most  important  station  on 
tbe  line,  being  the  place  of  departure  and  arrival 
of  the  steamers  which  ply  between  this  town  and 
Duluth  at  the  head  of  Lake  Superior.  Other 
lines  of  steamers  run  between  CoUingwood  and 
Chicago.  As  the  West  becomes  more  populous 
and  the  surplus  cf  products  increases  in  amount, 
the  trade  on  tliu  Northern  Lakes  must  grow  in  a 
corresponding  ratio  and  this  increase  will  add 
more  traffic  to  the  Northern  Railway.  It  stands 
fourth,  in  the  extent  of  its  traffic,  among  Canadian 
lines  of  rail.     As  the  line  whereby  north-western 


FuHire  Prospects.  137 

Ontario  will  be  developed  and  which  will  profit, 
in  turn,  by  such  development,  it  stands  first! 
Possessing  a  virtual  monopoly  of  an  important 
tract  of  country,  the  Northern  should  attain  a 
high  place  among  the  most  successful  Canadian 
Railways. 


V) 


-  iiS-'Uj 


•JssaBBS»ww«tsg«gj^5^^,, 


CHAPTER  YI. 


ACROSS    LAKE    SUPERIOR. 


Ttte  traveller  bouTid  for  the  Canadian  Far  "West;, 
who  crosses  the  Atlantic  in  an  Allan  linerj 
reaches  Toronto  by  rail  after  landing  at  Halifax, 
Rimouski  or  Quebec.  Unless  he  shall  have  made 
up  his  mind  before  leaving  home  as  to  the  route 
which  he  will  take  in  order  to  arrive  at  Manitoba, 
he  finds  at  Toronto  that  three  courses  are  open 
to  him  and  that  each  has  its  professed  advantage 
or  special  temptation.  First,  he  may  proceed  to 
"Winnipeg  by  rail.  If  he  travel  night  and  day,  he 
is  at  his  journey's  end  in  three  days  and  a  half. 
Second,  he  ma}''  proceed  to  Sarnia  on  Lake 
Huron  over  the  Grand  Trunk  Railway,  embark 
there  in  a  steamer  for  Duluth,  at  the  head  ot 
Lake  Superior,  where  he  takes  tlie  train  for 
"Winnipeg.  Third,  he  may  proceed  to  Colling.- 
wood  on  Georgian  Bay  over  the  Northern  of 
'^  .;nada  Railway,  where  a  steamer  will  carry  him 


The  N'ortk  Shore  Route, 


139 


to  Duluth  wlience  lie  continues  Lis  journey  as  in 
tlie  second  case.  The  time  occupied  in  the  third 
of  these  cases  is  four  days  and  a  half,  being  one 
day  shorter  than  by  the  Sarnia  route  and  one  day 
longer  tlian  the  direct  route  by  rail.  In  addition 
to  the  saving  in  time,  the  third  route  has  the 
advantage  over  the  second  that  the  voyage  is 
made  along  the  North  Shore  of  Lake  Superior 
where  the  scenery  is  bolder  and  more  varied  than 
on  the  South.  During  five  months  out  of  the 
twelve,  liake  Superior  is  closed  to  navigation ; 
the  open  season  begins  at  the  end  of  April  and 
closes  at  the  end  of  November.  As  the  boats 
were  running,  I  determined  to  cross  the  Lake  and, 
after  careful  consideration,  I  elected  to  start  from 
Collingwood  in  order  to  enjoy  the  attractions  of 
the  North  Shore  route. 

Five  hours  after  leaving  Toronto  on  a  Thurs- 
day forenoon,  I  reached  ColUngwood  and  I 
looked  for  the  Git])  of  Winnipeg,  the  steamer 
which  was  advertised  to  leave  the  wharf  shortly 
after  the  arrival  of  the  train.  I  looked  in  vain. 
The  steamer  did  not  get  to  Collingwood  on  her 
return  trip  till  Saturday  evening,  having  been 
detained  owing  to  boisterous  weather  and  having 
been  so  much  injm'cd  that  she  had  to  be  docked 
for  repairs.  On  Sunday  evening  the  Fiancas 
Smith,  another  steamer  of  the  same  line,  reached 


■  I 


140 


Across  Lake  Stipei'ior, 


t 

I 
f 


Cullingwood  and  lier  Captain  reported  that  lie 
had  encountered  a  gale  on  the  upward  trip  which 
jeopardized  the  vessel's  safety  and  did  some 
damage  to  her.  After  being  temporarily  re- 
paired, she  started  for  Duluth  on  Monday  night. 
I  was  not  sorry  to  leave  Collingwood,  having 
grown  tired  of  waiting  there  four  days  for  a 
steamer  which  might  appear  at  any  mo- 
ment. 

In  other  circumstances  I  might  have  liked 
Collingw^ood  better.  The  town  is  of  recent  date. 
It  stands  upon  what  was  formerly  a  cedar  swamp. 
Its  advance  in  importance  has  been  rapid.  The 
population  numbers  4000.  Collingwood  is  ad- 
mirably situated  for  the  purposes  of  commerce  ; 
the  greater  part  of  Ontario's  trade  with  the 
Upper  Lakes  must  pass  through  it.  The  soil  in 
the  immediate  vicinity  is  poor,  yet  certain  vege- 
tables and  fruits  flourish  there,  the  yield  of 
excellent  plums  being  very  large.  Small  though 
Collingwood  be,  it  is  yet  rich  enough  to  support 
two  weekly  newspapers  and  one  daily.  There 
are  many  attractive  villas  in  the  neighbourhood 
where  the  prosperous  merchants  reside.  There 
is  an  Episcopalian,  a  Methodist  and  a  Roman 
Catholic  Church  and  two  Presbyterian  Churches. 
In  the  two  principal  hotels  the  traveller  is  housed 
at  a  verv  moderate  charn:e.     At  one  of  them  I 


1'  * 


Pll 


A  Landlords  Career, 


141 


111 


of 


obtained  a  comfortable  room  and  cxcolloiit  food 
for  the  small  sum  of  §1  a  day. 

The  proprietor  of  tlie  hotel  told  me  an  inte- 
restin"' story  of  liis  striiGT^'les  with  fortune.  Born 
in  the  North  of  Ireland,  he  came  to  Canada  at  jiii 
early  age.  He  migrated  to  CoUingwood,  where 
he  followed  the  trade  of  a  slioomaker.  Beino-  a 
skilful  workman  he  was  able  to  save  a  little 
money  and  to  employ  men  to  execute  the  orders 
he  received.  He  had  as  many  as  eiglit  men  in 
his  employment  and  had  plenty  of  business  when 
he  was  obliged  to  suspend  payment  owing  to  the 
bad  debts  which  he  made.  Then  he  became  hotel 
keeper,  prospered  in  that  capacity  and  paid  all 
his  old  creditors  in  full,  the  sum  required  for  the 
purpose  being  $2500.  Soon  afterwards  his  hotel 
was  burnt  down ;  it  was  uninsured  and  he  lost 
everything  except  a  good  name  and  credit.  On  the 
strength  of  his  credit  he  borrowed  money,  where- 
with to  buy  the  site  on  which  his  hotel  had  stood, 
and  to  erect  a  new  building.  He  has  now  paid 
off  all  his  liabilities  and  is  independent.  He 
ascribes  his  success  in  life  to  working  hard  and 
minding  his  own  business,  lie  told  me  that  his 
feeling  for  Ireland  was  as  warm  as  ever,  but  tliat 
he  felt  ashamed  of  many  Irishmen.  lie  spoke 
highly  of  the  neighbouring  country  as  a  place 
where   farmers   can   prosper.      There   are   many 


m^^si^* 


.LiMii 


142 


Across  Lake  Superior, 


%■ 
I  ■  a,' 

i- 

■I; 

i 


T' 


farms  of  lOOacreswith  substantial  house  and  offices 
which  can  be  bought  for  $7000.  In  several  cases 
fiirms  are  for  sale  because  the  possessors  liave  not 
inherited  their  fathers'  viitiies  as  well  as  their 
acres.  Taking  life  easily  and  giving  to  pleasure 
the  energy  which  ought  to  be  expended  in  their 
fields,  these  young  men  find  that  they  have  to  raise 
money  by  mortgaging  their  land,  and  are  often 
obliged  to  part  with  the  land  because  tbey  cannot 
meet  the  interest  on  the  morto-ao-es. 

The  Frances  Siaith  is  a  paddle  steamer.  For 
sea-going  purposes  a  steamer  propelled  by 
paddles  is  interior  to  one  propelled  by  a 
screw,  but  the  former  commonly  affords  supei'ior 
accommodation  to  passengers.  I  had  a  better 
furnished  and  more  spacious  state-room  in  the 
Frances  Smith  than  is  to  be  found  on  the  best 
Atlantic  liners.  I  cannot  imagine  anything  more 
enjoyable  in  fine  summer  weather  than  a  trip 
in  such  a  steamer.  But  when  the  equinoctial 
gales  are  blowing  and  Lake  Superior  is  a  raging 
sea,  a  steamer  like  this  is  neither  comfortable  nor 
staunch.  If  the  engines  broke  down  the  vessel 
would  be  at  the  mercy  of  the  waves.  On  a 
screw  steamer  sail  can  be  carried  which  might 
prove  serviceable  in  the  event  of  damage  to  the 
machinery.  The  voyage  was  tedious  owing  to 
stormy  weather.     Leaving  Collingwood  on  Mon- 


'  I 
I 


Tcmpestttotis  Weather, 


ft 


143 


dny  night  we  did  not  rcacli  Duluth  till  the  suc- 
ceeding Monday  morning,  though  wc  were  due  on 
the  previous  Thursday  night.  Captain  Robertson, 
who  has  had  seven  years'  experience  of  navigating 
Lake  Superior,  had  never  seen  a  worse  season; 
this  does  not  prove  much,  however,  for  the  Cap- 
tains of  steamships  always  appear  to  tliink  that 
+lie  present  bad  weather  is  unprecedented.  This 
is  their  mode  of  flattering  passengers ;  the  latter 
are  rather  proud  of  hearing  that  their  experience 
of  the  weather  is  altogether  exceptional  and  that 
their  survival  is  almost  miraculous.  .However, 
the  Captain  of  the  Frances  Smith  demonstrated 
that  he  considered  the  weather  very  bad,  for, 
rather  than  face  the  gale  blowing  in  Georgian 
Bay,  he  remained  twelve  hours  in  the  sheltered 
harbour  of  Owen  Sound.  Another  steamer  which 
left  Colling  wood  for  Chicago  soon  after  we 
started,  was  driven  on  an  island  in  Georgian  Bay 
and  became  a  total  wreck.  The  Captain  of 
our  steamer  had  the  greater  reason  for  caution 
because  the  boat  was  obviously  over-laden. 
There  were  several  horses  and  fifty  head  of  cattle 
on  board ;  cargo  was  piled  in  every  spot  where 
space  could  be  found ;  ample  provision  seemed 
to  have  been  made  for  causing  what  would  have 
been  misnamed  an  accident. 

Though  the  weather  was  unpropitious  for  full 


'II 


I  :  < ,. 


i!  . 


m. 


144 


Across  Lake  Superior, 


enjoyment  of  tlie  scenery,  yet  I  sfiw  enongh  to 
lend  me  to  concur  in  the  praise  lavished  upon  it. 
As  many  as  ten  thousand  islands  or  islets  havo 
been  counted  in  Georgian  Bay  and  this  figure  is 
bulieved  to  be  far  under  the  mark.  Many  are 
wooded ;  they  differ  in  shape  and  they  give  a 
variety  to  the  landscape  which  is  exceedingly 
charming.  The  steamer  was  a  whole  day  thread- 
ing its  course  among  this  maze  of  islets.  Killarney 
on  the  north  shore  is  the  fourth  stopping-place 
after  leavinof  Collinpwood;  it  is  a  villa o-e  con- 
sisting  of  about  twenty  houses  and  a  church. 
The  land  is  very  poor  in  the  neighbourhood ;  tlie 
laurentian  formation  is  conspicu)us,  the  out- 
cropping of  bare  rock  being  more  frequent  than 
patches  of  soil.  The  people  are  Indians  and  Half- 
Breeds  who  live  by  catching  fish  and  gathering 
fruit.  They  had  many  tubs  of  freshly  caught 
white  fish  and  salmon  trout  and  barrels  of  cran- 
berries for  sale,  the  latter  costing  $5  each. 
Specimens  of  Indian  embroidery  were  in  a  store 
over  which  was  a  si<^n  "  Indian  Works."  As  a 
few  of  the  houses  were  new,  T  inferred  that  the 
village  of  Killarney  was  flourishing. 

A  very  different  impression  was  produced  by 
the  sight  of  the  Bruce  mines.  This  was  once  a 
busy  settlement;  now  it  is  in  decay;  many  of 
the   houses   are   empty   and   the   church    seems 


to 


m- 
;h. 
)rG 
a 
tie 

^y 

a 
)f 

LS 


The  Bruce  JMiiies, 


145 


falling  into  ruin.  The  copper-mines  around 
wliich  tlie  scttleinont  had  gatliered  belong  to  an 
English  Company.  At  one  time  they  were  very 
renumerative.  A  gentleman  who  had  managed 
one  of  the  principal  mines  told  me  that,  if  cop])er 
were  to  fetch  IGt^.  a  pound  again  all  these  mines 
would  return  large  dividends,  but  that,  at  the 
present  price  of  copper,  tliey  must  be  worked  at 
a  heavy  loss.  The  works  are  stopped  and  the 
machinery  is  not  only  idle,  but  it  is  deteriorating 
rapidly.  However,  the  English  Company  is  so 
fortunate  as  to  possess  in  addition  to  unproduc- 
tive mines,  G500  acres  of  good  farming  land,  for 
which  there  is  a  demand  ;  the  capital  sunk  in  the 
mines  may  be  partly  replaced  from  their  sale. 

The  Bruce  mines  are  307  miles  from  Colling- 
wood.  After  leaving  them  the  steamer  enters  the 
St.  Mary's  River,  connecting  Lake  Superior  with 
Lake  Huron ;  it  is  about  sixty  miles  long.  For  a 
great  part  of  its  course  it  bears  no  resemblance  to 
a  stream,  being  rather  a  series  of  shallow  lakes, 
among  which  Bear  Lake  and  St.  George's  Lake 
are  the  most  important.  At  the  outlet  of  the 
latter  the  Neebisli  Rapids  attract  attention,  chiefly 
because  the  current  is  so  much  less  sluggish  there 
than  at  other  parts.  The  St.  Mary's  River  is 
meandering  as  well  as  shallow  ;  at  parts  the  space 
between  the  banks  is  narrow  and  the  banks  them- 


146 


Across  Lake  Stipcrior, 


selves  aro  vcvy  picturesque.  AYlien  I  saw  them, 
tlieir  rocky  sides  were  not  only  tinted  witli  many 
colours  but  their  suuiniits  were  crowned  with 
trees  glowing  in  the  gorgeous  tints  of  a  Canadian 
autumn.  On  the  northern  side  there  is  an  Indian 
reservation  whereon  an  Indian  tribe,  under  the 
rule  of  Chief  Francis,  lives  by  fishing  and  farming. 
In  physique  the  chief  strikingly  resembles  the 
great  Duke  of  AVellington  and  in  character  he  is 
quite  as  shrewd.  He  resists  all  encroachments  on 
his  domain.  The  Quebec  and  Lake  Superior 
Mining  Company  discovered  a  silver-mine  to 
which  access  could  be  h.ad  only  through  the 
Indian  reservation.  Chief  Francis  refused  to 
allow  the  Company's  servants  to  exercise  the 
right  of  way  which  they  claimed  on  the  technical 
ground  that  the  land  was  unfenced.  When  the 
Indians  understood  the  nature  of  the  claim,  they 
lost  no  time  in  surrounding  the  land  with  fences 
of  the  strangest  and  most  primitive  kind  and  thus 
check-mated  the  Company.  Chief  Francis  stands 
upon  his  legal  right,  and  he  will  neither  s' riUi 
his  title  to  the  land  nor  sell  anv  ^  it.  The 
Canadian  Government  respect  his  t  ,  and  thei 
IS  no  likelihood  of  Chief  Fi-aneis  having  \\)  make 
any  change  against  his  will.  lie  knows  that  a 
treaty  with  Indians  is  always  scrupulously 
respected  wherever  the  British  flag  floats. 


Ilouies  for  Indian  Children. 


147 


je 

:e 
a 


A  littlo  wa^'-  further  up  tlic  river,  at  Sault  Sto. 
M!iric,onl]ioCaimelianside,i.s  tho  tSliingwauk  Homo 
established  six  years  w^o  by  ineinbei'S  of  tlio 
Churcli  of  Eiif^land  in  Canada  for  the  triuiiing  of 
young  Indian  boys.  Two  years  ag-o  tlie  Wawanosh 
Home  was  estabhslied  for  training  Indian  girls. 
There  is  accommodation  for  eighty  boys  and  thirty 
girls.  Tho  Government  gives  a  small  subsidy  to 
the  Homes,  but  volnntary  contributions  are"  their 
chief  support.  As  is  comuion  with  charitable 
institutions  these  two  labour  under  the  drawback 
of  poverty.  I  am  assured  that  both  liave  been 
appreciated  by  the  Indians,  who  are  glad  to  send 
their  children  to  be  educated  and,  I  mny  add, 
civilized  there.  A  little  monthly  paper  printed  at 
the  Boys'  Home  called  \X\QAUjoma  Mistn'oiiarijl^iews 
and  Shlngicank  Journal  gives  information  about 
missionary  progress  among  the  Indians.  Tho 
profits  from  the  sale  go  to  the  support  of  the 
Home;  the  yearly  subscription  is  only  ^ 5  cents. 
Moreover,  any  one  who  desires  to  support  a  boy 
or  girl,  including  clothing,  can  do  so  by  paying 
$75  a  year.  The  purposes  and  wants  of  these 
Homes  only  require  to  bo  generally  known  for 
their  prosperity  to  be  assured.  It  is  tlirough  such 
agencies  that  tho  Indians  of  Canada  will  not  only 
remain  peaceful  dwellers  in  the  land,  but  are 
prepared  and  disposed  to  exercise  the  privileges  of 

L  2 


<  I 


liUa 


148 


Ac7'oss  Lake  Superior, 


citizcnsliip  to  wliicli  they  are  entitled,  under 
Canadian  law,  whonever  tlicy  clioose  to  comply 
witli  the  requisite  formalities. 

On  the  Micliignn  side  the  land  is  good  and 
well-cultivated.  The  most  comfortable  looking 
house  and  the  best  laid  grounds  belong  to  Mr. 
Church  who  has  accumulated  a  fortune  by  making 
raspberr}'-  jam.  He  settled  here  Avlien  this  part 
of  the  State  was  unpeopled  by  Avliite  men 
and  he  employed  Indians  to  gather  the  wild 
raspberries  which  grow  in  profusion.  He  made 
them  into  jam  which  he  forwarded  for  sale 
in  the  more  settled  and  civilized  parts  of  the 
United  States.  His  jam  grew  into  favour  with 
the  public  and  he  became  very  rich. 

At  Sault  Ste.  Marie  the  steamer  passes  through 
a  canal  into  Lake  Superior.  This  canal  is  a  fine 
example  of  engineering  skill,  but  it  will  soon  be 
superseded  by  a  still  finer  example.  The  second 
canal  is  an  admirable  piece  of  work,  every  part 
being  built  of  the  most  durable  materials.  Vessels 
drawing  sixteen  feet  of  water  w  ill  be  able  to  pass 
through  the  new  canal.  It  is  not  creditable  to 
Canada  that  no  such  canal  has  been  made  on  her 
side  of  the  rapids.  The  natural  difficulties  are 
far  less  there,  while  the  advantages  of  a  canal 
through  Canadian  territory  are  obvious. 

As  a  spectacle,  the  Rapids  are   very  striking. 


I 


.  ?.i 


Fishing  iJi  the  Rapids. 


149 


For  the  distance  of  a  mile  tlie  waters  of  Lake 
Superior  rush  down  over  shelving  rocks ;  at 
intervals  in  the  descent,  islets,  covered  with  trees, 
form  obstacles  to  the  hurrying  waters  which  eddy 
and  foam  around  them.  In  the  eddies  white  fish 
lie  and  feed  till  they  fall  a  prey  to  the  Indian 
fisherman.  It  is  nearly  two  centuries  and  a  half 
since  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie  was  first  visited  by 
white  men.  In  164*1,  two  Jesuit  missionaries, 
Fathers  Rnymbault  and  Jorgues,  pushed  their 
explorations  as  fnr  as  this  })lace.  They  then 
found  an  Indian  village  of  two  thousand  persons 
on  the  spot  where  a  small  United  States  city  now 
stands.  For  centuries  the  Chippewa  Indians  had 
made  this  a  place  of  abode,  living  on  the  white  fish 
that  swarm  in  the  Rapids.  Tlie  mode  of  fishing 
is  unlike  any  which  I  ever  saw  practised.  Two 
Indians  stand  upright  at  either  end  of  a  canoe  and 
force  it  up  the  swift  running  stream.  One  attends 
to  keepii^g  the  canoe's  head  up  stream  while  the 
other  wriches  for  a  fish  ;  on  seeing  one  he  scoops 
it  out  wth  a  small  net  attached  to  a  pole  six  feet 
long.  The  pole,  with  the  net  attached,  is  not 
easily  handled  on  laiul  ;  when  a  fish  weigliing 
from  ten  to  fifteen  pounds  is  in  it,  the  phy- 
sical exertion  required  to  raise  the  net  must  be 
great.  There  is  a  knack  in  this  as  in  all  other 
feats;  but  it  is  one  which  none  but  Indians  are 


% 


I 


S[ 


I;!  ! 

m  \ 


150 


Across  Lake  Superior, 


known  to  acquire.  Tlie  Indians  get  2  cents  a 
pound  for  tlie  fish  theycatcli,  which  are  packed  in 
ice  and  sent  to  Detroit.  The  fish  caught  in  the 
Rapids  are  better  eating  than  those  caught  above 
or  below  them,  the  flesh  being  firmer  and  the 
taste  being  more  deUcate.  I  never  enjoyed  a 
greater  delicacy  than  a  piece  of  white  fish  which  I 
ate  within  half  an  hour  after  the  fish  had  been 
s.vimming  in  the  water.  Another  new  sensation 
I  did  not  covet.  This  consists  in  running  the 
llapids  in  a  canoe.  Adventurous  and  curious 
persons  can  have  their  desire  gratified  by  Indians 
in  exchange  for  $5.  The  first  step  is  the  payment 
which  is  enforced  before-hand,  the  next  is  to 
spend  a  couple  of  minutes  in  breathless  excitement, 
as  the  canoe  spins  down  the  foaming  water,  and 
to  be  drenched  by  the  spray  through  which  the 
canoe  passes,  the  final  conclusion  being  that  the 
game  is  not  worth  the  cost. 

When  one  looks  at  these  Rapids  where  fishing 
has  been  prosecuted  in  the  same  fashion  for 
centurieF.,  one  is  not  so  greatly  struck  with  the 
little  change  in  this  respect  which  has  taken 
place,  as  with  the  greatness  of  other  changes. 
I^owerful  Indian  tribes,  whom  the  first  white  man 
laboured  to  conciliate  before  essaying  their  con- 
version, have  passed  away  leaving  only  names 
behind.     The  Jesuit  Fathers  who  visited  this  spot 


\ 


If 


, 


A  Historic  Ceremony. 


151 


would  have  less  difficulty  in  recognizing  it  again 
if  they  could  return  to  earth,  than  in  realizing  the 
transformation  in  the  position  of  that  great  French 
nation  -which  they  admii-ably  represented  and 
devotedly  served  in  the  wilds  of  western  Canada. 
Few  scenes  in  French  colonial  history  are  so 
memorable  as  that  of  which  this  place  was  the 
theatre  on  the  14th  of  June,  1G71.  A  grand 
council  then  assembled,  in  which  fourteen  Indian 
tribes  were  represented,  where  the  Rev.  Claude 
Dablon,  Superior  of  the  Lake  Missions,  Fathers 
Gabriel  Druillettes,  Claude  Alloiiez,  and  Louis 
Andre  represented  the  Church,  and  where  M. 
Daumont  de  St.  Lusson  with  fifteen  of  his  followers 
represented  the  Government  of  Louis  the  Four- 
teenth. A  large  cross  was  blessed  by  Father 
Dablon  and  erected  on  a  hill,  while  the  Frenchmen, 
with  bare  heads,  sang  the  Vex  ilia  Itcgls.  Near  the 
cross  a  post  was  fixed  in  the  ground  and  to  it  was 
fastened  .  metal  plate  on  which  the  royal  arms 
were  engraved ;  the  Exaiidlat  was  sung  and  a 
prayer  offered  for  the  King  during  this  })art  of 
the  ceremony.  Then  Daumont  de  St.  Lusson  stood 
forth  with  upraised  sword  in  one  hand  and  a  clod 

of  earth  in  the  other  and  said  in  a  loud  voice : 
"In  the  name  of  the 'most  high,  mighty,  and 
renowned  monareh  Louis,  Fourteenth  of  that 
name,  most  Christian  King  of  France  and  Navarre, 
I  take  possession  of  this  place,  Sainte  Marie  du 


WSM 


..U[lJll»Il.BIIUILJi. 


1 


m 


i5» 


Across  Lake  Superior^ 


Saiit,  as  also  of  Lnkcs  Iluvon  and  Superior,  tlie 
Island  of  Manatouliii, and  all  countries,  rivers, lakes, 
and  streams  contiguous  and  adjacent  thereunto; 
both  those  Avhich  have  been  discovered  and  those 
wliich  may  be  discovered  herea  i  ter,  in  all  tlieir  lenoth 
and  breadth,  bounded  on  the  one  side  by  the  seas  cf 
the  North  and  of  the  West,  and  on  the  other  by  the 
South  Sea :  declaring  to  the  nations  thereof  tljat 
from  this  time  forth  they  are  vassnls  of  his  Mnjesty, 
bound  to  obey  his  laws  and  foUoAV  his  customs : 
promising  to  them  on  his  part  all  succour  and 
protection  against  the  incursions  and  invasions  of 
their   enemies  :  declaring  to  all  other  potentates, 
princes,  sovereigns,  states  and  republics, — to  them 
and  to  thcnr  subjects, — that  they  cannot  and  are  not 
to  seize  and  settle  upon  any  parts  of  the  aforesaid 
countries,   save  only  under  the  good  pleasure  of 
his  most  Christian  Majesty,  and  of  him  who  will 
govern  on  his  behalf;  and  this  on  pain  of  incurring 
his  resentment  and  the  efforts  of  his  arms.     Lon"* 
live  the  King."  ' 

After    the    representative   of    the    King    had 

performed     his     oflBcial     duty,    Father    Alloiiez 

harangued   the    Indians    about    the    ceremonies 

which  they  had  witnessed,  impressing  upon  them 

that  they  should  worship  Christ  upon  the  Cross, 

and   honour   and   obey  the  King,  who,  he  told 

them,  had  no  equal  u[ion  earth.     Many  fulsome 

panegyrics  Avere  passed   upon    Louis  during  his 

*  Translated   and   quoted  by  ^Ir.  Parkman  in  his  admirable 
work  "The  Discovery  of  the  Great  West,"  pp.  41-2, 


I 


Panegyric  on  Louis  XI V, 


153 


lifetime,    but    none    surpassed    tins    one.      The 
Indians  were  told  that  when  Louis  oroes  to  wur  all 

his  chiefs  raise  armies.     "  When  he  attacks,  he  is 
more  fearful  than  tlumder.     The  eai'tli  trembles, 
and  the  air  and  the  sea  are  on  fire  from  the  dis- 
charge of  his  cannon.     lie  has  been  seen  in  tlie 
midst  of  his  squadrons  covered  with  the  blood  of 
his  enemies  ;  so  many  of  them  has  he  put  to  the 
sword  that  he  does  not  number  their  scalps,  but 
merely  the  rivers  of  blood  which  he  has  caused  to 
flow.     He  carries  sucli  a  number  of  captives  with 
him  that  he  does  not  value  them,  but  lets  them  go 
where  they  please,  to  show  that  he  does  not  fear 
them.     Nobody  dai'es  make  war   on    him.       All 
nations  beyond  the  sea  have  sued  for  Peace  with 
great  submission.     They  come  from  every  quarter 
of  the  gh)be  and  listen  to  him  and  admire  him. 
It  is  he  who  decides  upon  the  affairs  of  the  world. 
What  shall  I  say  of  his  riches  ?     You  think  your- 
selves very  rich  when  you  have  ten  or  twelve  sacks 
of  corn,  and  hatchets,  and  kettles  and  other  things 
of  the  kind.  He  has  more  cities  than  you  have  men, 
wdiicli  are  scattered  over  a  space  of  more  than  five 
hundred  leagues.     In  each  city  there   are  shops 
containing  hatchets  enough  to  cut  all  year  wood, 
kettles  enough  to  cook  all  your  cariboo  and  sugar 
enough  to  fill  all  3'our  wigwams.  His  house  extends 
further  than  fi'omhereto  the  Sault,  is  liiu'her  than 
the  tallest  of  your  trees,  and  contains  more  |)cople 
thanthelargestof  your  settlements evercontained." 
It   is   doubtful   whether  the  Indians  to  whom 
Father  Alloliez  recounted  the  feats  and  magnifi- 


^5^ 


Aci'oss  Lake  Superior, 


'.  I 


'\ 


ccnco  of  the  great  Louis  were  so  miicli  impressed 
by  the  recital  as  tliey  were  by  Lake  Superior. 
The  Lake  they  worshipped.  It  was  the  source 
of  tlieir  chief  food  and  it  represented  to  thera  the 
might  and  mystery  of  the  ocean.  No  other  sheet 
of  fresli  water  on  the  gh")be  is  larger  or  more 
wonderful.  Its  extreme  length  is  355  miles  and 
its  breadth  IGO  ;  it  covers  an  area  of  82,000 
square  miles.  The  surface  of  the  Lake  is  627  feet 
above  the  sea  level ;  parts  of  its  bed  are  several 
hundred  feet  below  it  ;  hence  it  is  one  of  the 
deepest  depressions  on  the  earth's  face.  The 
largest  and  deepest,  it  is  also  the  coldest  body  of 
water  in  the  world,  the  temperature  not  rising 
above  35°  Fahrenheit  when  the  summer  is  at  its 
heio-ht.  The  most  skilful  and  the  boldest  swimmer 
may  abandon  all  hope  sliould  he  have  to  swim  any 
distance  for  his  life  in  Lake  Superior.  The  sailor 
has  to  exercise  the  utmost  caution  when  navi- 
gating a  vessel  upon  it.  Fogs  are  frequent  and 
they  obscure  the  air  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 
Without  any  warning  the  wind  often  begins  to 
blow  furiously,  aiicl  lashes  the  placid  bosom  of  the 
Lake  into  tumultuous  waves.  The  Atlantic  during 
a  gale  is  not  a  grander  or  a  more  sublime  spec- 
tacle, and  the  navigation  of  the  Atlantic  is  never 
a  greater  test  of  seamanship  than  that  of  Lake 
Superior  when  a  storm  is  raging. 


i 


JMicJii-hicotcn  Island. 


155 


\ 


Micliipicoten  Island,  distant  aliout  a  liun- 
dred  miles  from  Sault  Stc.  ]\Iaiie,  is  tlie  first 
regular  stopping-place  after  entering  the  Lake. 
The  Island  rises  800  feet  above  the  water ;  it  is 
richly  wooded,  the  principal  trees  l)eing  maple, 
birch,  spruce,  cedar,  balsam  and  mountain  ash. 
The  climate  is  more  temperate  than  on  the  main- 
land. It  is  probable  that  the  Island  may  become 
a  favourite  place  of  resort  during  the  summer 
months  on  account  of  the  extreme  salubrity  of  the 
air.  The  soil,  which  is  a  rich  vegetable  mould  mixed 
with  sand,  is  very  well  fitted  for  growing  root  crops. 
Beautiful  agates  are  found  along  the  beach.  The 
visitors  who  busv  themselves  in  searchino;  for  a"*ates 
are  generally  dirappointed,  as  the  keeper  of  the 
lighthouse  has  forestalled  them  in  gathering  the 
finest  specimens.  Those  persons  who  buy  agates 
instead  of  trying  to  pick  them  up,  may  amuse 
themselves  profitably  by  fishing,  as  sj)cckled  trout 
abound  close  in  shore  and  can  easilv  be  cauoht. 

The  Jesuit  Fathers  who  weretheearliestexplorers 
of  this  reo'ion  of  the  Continent  have  left  on  record 
many  interesting  particulars  about  the  mineral 
riches  which  a  bound  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Superior, 
as  well  as  on  the  islands  init. »  Father  Dablon,  in 
liis  Chronicle  for  16(39-70,  thus  refers  to  tlie  Island 
of  Michipicoten  :  "After  entering  the  Lake  the 
first  place  met  with  containing  cojiper  is  an  island 


m 


156 


Across  Lake  Superior, 


iff  ■ 


about  forty  or  fifty  lcn,G;ucs  from  tbe  Saiilt,  towards 
tl»e  North  Sliore,  O|)|)()sito  a  place  called  Missipi- 
cooatong  (Michipicotcn.)  The  savages  relate  tliat 
it  is  a  floiitiiio'  isLiiid,  heinsf  sometimes  near  and 
and  at  otliers  afar  off.  A  long:  time  a^o  four 
savages  landed  there,  having  lost  their  way  in  a 
fog,  with  which  the  island  is  frequently  sur- 
rounded. It  was  previous  to  their  acquaintance 
with  the  French,  and  they  knew  nothing  of  the 
use  of  kettles  and  hatchets.  In  cooking  their 
meals,  as  is  usual  among  the  savages,  by  heating 
stones  and  casting  them  into  a  birch-bark  pail 
containing  water,  they  found  that  they  were 
almost  all  copper.  Alter  having  completed  their 
meal,  they  hastened  to  re-embark,  for  they  were 
afraid  of  the  lynxes  and  hares,  which  here  grow  to 
the  size  of  dogs.  They  took  with  them  copper  stones 
and  plates,  but  had  hardly  left  the  si  1  ore  before 
they  heard  a  loud  voice  exclaiming  in  an  angry 
tone  'who  are  the  thieves  that  carry  off  the  cradles 
and  the  toys  of  my  children?'  They  were  very 
mucji  surprised  at  the  sound,  not  knowing  whence 
it  came.  One  said  it  was  the  thunder  ;  another 
that  it  was  a  certain  goblin  called  Missibizi,  the 
spirit  of  the  waters,  like  Neptune  among  the 
heathen ;  another  that  it  came  from  theMemogoris- 
sioois,  who  are  marine  men,  living  constantly  under 
the  water,  like  the  Ihntons  and  Syrens,  having  long 
hair  reaching  to  the  waist,  and  one  of  the  savages 
asserted  that  he  had  actually  seen  such  a  being.  At 
any  rate,  this  extraordinary  voice  produced  such 
fear  that  one  of  them  died  before  landing  ;  shortly 
after,  two  others  died,  and  one  alone  reached  home, 


Discoveries  of  Copper, 


157 


.t 


who,  after  havin<^  rcLitrd  whatlind  linppencfl,  nlso 
di(Hl.  Since  that  time,  tlie  savages  liave  not  dared  to 
visit  the  Ishiiid,  or  even  to  steer  in  tliat  direction." 
Father  Dablon  conchides  by  saying*  that  it  is 
commonly  believed  by  the  savages  that  the  Island 
contains  an  abundance  of  copper.  He  also  gives 
a  rational  explanation  of  the  phenomena  which  so 
terrified  the  savages  as  to  make  them  shun  tlio 
spot.  The  heated  stones  containing  copper  which 
they  put  into  their  birch-bark  pail  may  have 
poisoned  the  meat  and  caused  the  deaths  of  tho 
eaters;  the  snpernatural  voice  may  have  been  an 
echo  of  their  own,  while  the  apparent  vanishing 
and  reappc^arance  of  the  Island  may  have  been 
due  to  fleeting  fogs. 

It  is  noteworthy  that,  while  the  existence  of 
minerals  was  known  to  the  savages  who  lived 
near  Lake  Superior  and  was  made  known  by  the 
first  European  explorers  of  that  Lake  and  its 
vicinity,  the  working  of  the  mineral  deposits  was 
not  begun  there  till  nearly  two  centuries  later. 
Stranoer  still  it  was  ascertained  that  a  race  far 
older  than  the  satages  with  whom  the  Jesuit 
Fathers  conversed,  a  race  of  which  little  more  is 
now  known  than  that  it  existed,  must  have  been 
extracting  copper  from  the  mines  at  Lake  Su- 
perior long  belbre  Columbus  set  forth  to  discover 
a  new  world.     These  people  are  supposed  to  be 


158 


Across  Lair  Superior, 


t 


Mound  Builders;  in  tlio  IMouuds  which  are  their 
oidy  memorials,  copper  ornaments  have  been  found. 
The  Indians  iidi!ibitin<jr  the  countrv  had  no  know- 
led(^e  of  mininnf  and  no  skill  in  working  metals. 

In  the  winter  of  18  l<7-8  a  most  curious  dis- 
covery was  made  at  the  place  on  the  South  Shore 
of  the  Lake,  near  the  Ontonagan  River,  where 
the  Minnesota  mine  is  situated.  There  Mr.  Knapp 
discovered  the  remains  of  old  workings,  and  found 
a  mass  of  native  copper,  ten  feet  long,  three  feet 
Avide,  nearly  two  feet  thick,  and  weighing  six  tons. 
The  earth  has  been  carefully  excavated  on  all 
sides,  but  the  metallic  mass  proved  too  heavy  to 
be  removed.  In  the  vicinity  were  stone  hammers, 
copper  knives  and  chisels  and  wooden  bowls  for 
baling  out  water.  Had  not  the  copper  been  de- 
posited here  in  its  native  or  pure  state  these 
ancient  people  covdd  not  have  mined  it.  Yet  their 
operations,  though  rude,  were  most  ingenious  and 
they  were  a  people  which  had  made  a  greater 
step  in  the  direction  of  civilization  than  the  Indians 
who  succeeded  and  supplanted  them. 

AVliile  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  have 
carried  on  Copper-mining  at  Lake  Superior  with 
great  energy  and  to  their  pecuniary  advantage, 
the  copper  deposits  of  the  like  nature  on  the 
Canadian  side  have  remained  almost  untouched. 
The  magnitude  of  the  mining  operations  in  this 


4 


Value  of  A^  a  five  Copper 


159 


part  of  tlio  United  States  mny  be  nnderstood 
when  I  add  tlwit  tlio  iiniount  ot*  metal  extracted 
since  their  beg"innin<>'  is  :JO(),()00  tons  in  weiij^ht  and 
valuedat  $  1  1-0,0()(),00().  Sv>veral  mines liave  yiehled 
profits  wliicli  may  bo  literally  termed  fabulous. 
The  shareholders  in  the  Oiilumet  and  lleela,  for 
instance,  receive  dividends  at  the  rate  of  h;df  a 
million  sterling  annnally  on  an  original  capital  of 
forty  thousand  pounds  sterling,  the  market  price 
of  the  original  capital  being  about  five  millions. 
Indeed,  the  tales  about  the  yield  of  the  gold 
mines  of  California  and  Australia,  of  the  silver 
mines  on  the  Comstock  lode  and  at  Leadville  are 
■not  more  wonderful  than  the  authentic  story  of  the 
Copper-mines  of  Lake  Superior. 

The  purity  of  the  Lake  Superior  native  Copper 
is  remarkable,  being  as  great  as  that  of  the  same 
metal  found  in  Japan  and  in  Siberia.  The  metal 
is  pronounced  to  be  chemically  pure,  leaving  no 
residuum  when  dissolved  in  pure  nitric  acid, 
giving  no  precipitate  when  the  nitric  acid  solution 
is  heated  with  ammonia,  containing  no  trace  of 
arsenic  or  other  volatile  metal.  For  electric 
purposes  it  is  preferred  to  any  other  owing  to  its 
superior  conductivity;  Ikmicc  it  commands  a  higher 
price  in  tlie  market  and  hence,  too,  the  process 
of  mining  this  native  Copper  is  more  renninera- 
tive  than  that  of  mining  the  sulphurets  of  Copper. 


I  Co 


yl cross  Lake  Superior* 


I 


Wion    I  visited    tlio  Islaiul  of  ^ri^'liipicoton  I 
learned  tlint  its   mineral  treasures  are  attracting 
the   attention   of  capitalists.     In  addition  to  de- 
posits of  native  Copper,  resend)ling  those  on  the 
South  Shore  of  the  Lake,  deposits  of  silver  and 
nickel  have  been  found.  AVitli  a  supineness  which 
it  is  difficult  to  understand  and  scarcely  possible 
to  justify,  the  Canadians  allow  strangers  to  reap 
the  profits  which  the   mines  in  this  part  of  their 
territory  can  easily  be  made  to  yield.     I  was  told 
that  a    company  formed    in    the    United  States 
had    acquired    several     acres     of   land    on    this 
Island  where  they  were  mining  for  native  Copper 
and  that  their  preliminary  operations  had  been 
eminently  satisfactory.     Still  better  results  w^ero 
anticipated   by   the    Quebec  and    Lake  Superior 
Mining  Company  which  had  acquired  ten  square 
miles  of  land  on  the  Island.     I  was  unaware  at 
the  time  of  my  visit  to  the  Island  that  the  share- 
holders   in    that    Company   were    indisposed   to 
furnish  the  capital  wherewith  to  erect  machinery, 
so  as  to  profit  by  the  explorations  which  demon- 
strated that  their  property  was  as  rich  in  native 
Copper  as  other  remunerative  properties  on  the 
United  States  side  of  the  I-ake.     Several  months 
later  I  returned  to  England  where  I  learned  that 
a  Company  called  the  j\Jiclii])icoten  Native  Copper 
Company  had  been  formed,  that  Mr.  W,  W.  Stuart, 


Copper  Mining  Companies, 


i6t 


tliG  Chairmnn  of  tlio  Quol)oc  niid  LmIco  Siiporior 
Mining  Company,  liuving  piu'cluiscd  tlio  majority 
of  tlic  shares,  iiad  transt'errcMl  his  interest  in 
ten  square  miles  of  the  Ishind  of  IMichipicoten  to 
the  Englisli  Company  for  a  sum  of  50,000/.  in 
fully  paid  up  shares,  these  shares  not  to  raidv  for 
dividend  till  the  subscribers  of  money  had  received 
all  their  capital  back  out  of  profits.  I  was  im- 
pressed witli  tlie  stories  whicli  I  heard  on  tlio  spot} 
and  read  about  the  mineral  riclies  of  ^licliipico- 
tcn  Island.  I  was  also  struck  witli  the  unusually 
favourable  terms  on  which  the  English  Company 
had  acquired  a  property  there,  and  I  thou^-ht  I 
should  not  act  foolishly  in  becoming  a  share- 
holder in  a  Company  which  not  only  promised  so 
much,  as  is  tlie  rule  in  mining  companies,  but  which 
appeared  likely  to  be  one  of  the  companies  which 
supplement  promise  with  performance.  Other 
Companies  will  doubtless  be  formed  to  bring  to 
the  surface  and  divide  among  shareholders  the 
riches  which  lie  below  the  surface  of  Michipicoten, 
Nor  is  the  mineral  wealth  confined  to  the  islands 
in  the  Lake.  The  North  Shore  also  is  ricli  in 
copper  and  silver ;  an  Englisli  company,  the 
Lake  Superior  Native  Copper  Company,  is  now 
working  a  property  at  Maimainse,  in  Batchewaung 
Bay,  where  the  Copper  in  the  ore  amounts  to 
09  per  cent,  while,  in  addition,  the  ore  contains 

M 


ii 


I 


if 

iii 


162 


Across  Lake  Snpo'ior, 


silver  to  tlie  value  of  oG  ounces  per  ton.     Silver 
Islet  was  the  next  place  at   wUicli   the  Frances 
Smith  stopped.     The   passage  from  Michipicoten 
Island  to   that   spot  was  made  in  most  disagree- 
able   circumstances.      A    storm   of    thunder    and 
lightning  raged  for  five  hours  ;  seldom  have  I  seen 
so  much  and  such  vivid  liirhtnino: ;  never  have  I 
seen  rain  fall  so  heavily  ;    the  water  descended  in 
sheets.     The  storm  bcofan    at   6  o'clock   in    the 
evenincr;    early  on  the  followinof  morninof  the  rain 
ceased,  the  wind  lulled  and  the  sea  gradually  went 
down.     A  dense  fo2r  covered  the  water.     About 
8  o'clock  in   the   morninof  while  lookinGf  towards 
the  bow,  I  heard  the  roar  of  surf  and  I  saw  rocks 
not  far  distant  on  the  port  side.    Captain  Robert- 
son, who  was  on  the  look-out,  at  once  ordered  the 
eno-ines  to  be  I'cversed,  and  the  steamer  besran  to 
go  astern  in  time    to  prevent  any  mischief.     A 
delay   of  a  few  minutes  Avould  have  rendered  a 
catastrophe   unavoidable.     It  is  improbable  that 
any  one  would  have  survived  to  tell  the  tale  had 
the  vessel  first  struck  upon  the  rocks  and  then  gone 
down  in  the  deep,  icy  cold  water.     The  coolness 
and  rapidity  with  which  Captain  Robertson  acted 
were  appreciated  by  the  passengers.   It  was  with  a 
tinge  of  incredulit}^,  however,  that  they  heard  him 
avow  he  had  expected  to  meet  with  rocks  at  the  very 
])iace  where  they  loomed  ominously  through  the  fog. 


m 
1,11  111 

1^^ 


gone 
)liiess 
I  acted 

'itli  a 

|1  him 

verv 

lefog. 


Mineral  Riches, 


\\ 


163 


A  few  years  ago  a  M(Mitreal  Company  was 
seeking^  for  silver  on  an  Islet  abont  a  mile  from 
the  mainland.  Having  discovered  that  the  rock 
was  rich  in  silver  the  Company  sold  the  property 
to  a  few  citizens  of  the  United  States.  These 
gentlemen  have  since  then  taken  silver  ont  of  this 
small  rock  to  the  value  of  two  million  dollars. 
The  Islet  is  a  mass  of  rich  silver  ore ;  it  is  esti- 
mated that  cii»:liteen  million  dollars'  worth  of 
silver  may  yet  be  extracted  from  it.  The  search 
for  silver  on  other  islands,  such  as  Isle  Rovale, 
Pie  Island,  McKellars  Island,  as  well  as  on  the 
mainland  is  actively''  pursued  by  many  persons 
who  have  made  valuable  discoveries.  Indeed, 
the  prevailing  opinion  is  that  the  mineral  dejiosits 
around  Lake  Superior  and  on  the  islands  in  it  are 
extensive  and  rich  beyond  calculation. 

After  leavino:  Silver  Islet  the  steamer  enters 
Thimder  Bay,  a  slieet  of  water  twenty  miles  in 
diameter,  girded  with  lofty  heights  and  guarded 
at  its  entrance  by  Thunder  Cape,  a  rugged  rocky 
headland  rising:  l'^'>0  feet  above  the  surface  of 
the  Lake.  Tlie  cliffs  of  Thunder  Cape  extend 
in  unbroken  surface  for  a  distance  of  seven  miles. 
When  the  tempest  howls  around  this  mass  of 
rock  the  echoes  reverberate  like  claps  of  thunder. 
The  Indians  believed  the  noise  to  be  the  voice  of 
the  Great   Spirit,  Nana-bijoo,  speaking  to  them 

M  2 


:64 


Across  Lake  Superior, 


i. 


from  out  of  Lis  dwelling  in  the  clouds.  The  ex- 
phniation  of  the  trndilion  is  that  a  volcano  at  the 
summit,  now  extinct,  once  belchod  forth  fire  and 
lava.  A  grander  or  more  impressive  spectacle 
than  that  presented  at  this  spot  it  is  scarcely  pos- 
sible to  iman'ine.  Prince  Arthur's  Landing:  is  a 
town  on  the  mainland  at  which  the  steamer  calls, 
and  here  the  cattle,  -whicli  had  suffered  much 
dnring  the  voyage  and  had  caused  the  passengers 
no  sliG:lit  discomfort,  are  sent  on  shore.  The  town 
itself  dates  from  the  time  that  Sir  Garnet  Wolselev 
started  from  this  place  at  the  head  of  the  Iu.;d 
lliver  Expedition  to  su{)})ress  Louis  Kiel's  re- 
bellion in  Manitoba.  Prince  Arthur's  Landing^  is 
a  Lake  port  of  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway,  com- 
peting with  Fort  "William  to  the  South  as  the 
terminus  of  tlie  line.  The  town  has  a  thousand 
inhabitants.  It  supports  two  weekly  newspapers, 
one  being  the  TJniiider  Bay  Sentinel,  the  other  the 
North  Shore  Miner.  The  purpose  of  the  latter  is 
to  clironicle  the  prospects  and  progress  of  mining 
in  this  region.  It  contains  highly  eulogistic 
articles  on  the  mineral  wealth  of  the  Islands  in 
the  Lake  and  of  the  mainland.  The  great  demand 
is  f(ir  ca|)ital.  Lamentations  are  indulged  in  as 
to  the  indifference  of  Canadian  capitalists  to  the 
development  of  the  riches  which  are  buried 
underground,  and  the  remark  is  made  that  "the 


Silvci%  Copper,  and  Iron  Deposits.         165 


[cr  IS 
ininor 

istic 
[Is  in 
naiid 

I  as 

the 
iiried 

the 


American  capitalist  is  the  one  on  whom  we  must 
depend  for  tlie  development  oE  our  rich  resources. 
There  are  no  Canadians  who  liave  the  push  and 
stamina  sufficient  for  the  purpose."  A  Frenchman, 
Baron  de  Guichaiuville,  who  lias  taken  np  his  abode 
at  Priuce  Arthur's  Landino;  is  hibourino-to  induce 
his  countrymen  to  invest  money  in  a  fish-canniui^ 
establishment  there  aud  also  in  various  miuintir 
enterprises.  In  addition  to  the  deposits  of  silver 
and  copper  which  have  excited  much  attention 
and  enriched  many  persons,  this  region  abounds 
in  vast  deposits  of  iron  ore  which  may  prove  as 
remunerative  when  extracted  and  smelted  as 
mines  of  silver  or  ofold. 

Not  far  from  Prince  Arthur's  Landino:  stands 
Fort  William,  an  older  settlement  on  the  Kami- 
nistiquia  River  where  the  Hudson  Bay  Company 
have  long  had  a  trading-post.  The  rivalry  between 
the  inhabitants  of  the  two  phices  is  extreme.  In 
each  place  it  seems  to  be  an  article  of  faitli 
that  the  rival  must  speedily  decay  and  that  the 
one  which  remains  w^U  increase  rapidly  in  w^ealth 
and  popnlation.  There  is  ample  room  and  o})por- 
tunity  for  both.  After  a  ten  hours'  sail  through 
scenery  of  great  beauty  and  variety,  the  head  of 
Ijake  Superior  is  reached  and  the  steamer  is 
moored  at  the  wliarf  of  Duluth,  the  ambitioiis 
city  which  it  was  su[)posed  would  rival  Chicago  in 


, 'I  I  m'rmm'i'mummmimmi 


ili 


$ 


I 


1 66 


Across  Lake  Superior. 


quickness  of  growth,  wliicli  is  one  of  the  best 
puft'ed  cities  on  the  North  American  Continent 
and  which  is  styled  by  its  self-satisfied  and 
grandiloquent  inhabitants,  "  the  Zenith  City  of 
the  Unsalted  Seas.'* 


CHAPTER  VII. 


DULUTII    TO    WlNNirEG. 


Twenty  years  ago  a  few  enterprising  and  sangnme 
men  settled  on  tlie  site  of  Dulutli  and  resolved  to 
found  a  city  which  should  excite  tlie  astonishment 
and  admirktion  of  mankind.  They  were  also 
prompted  by  the  desire  to  eclipse  the  city  at  the 
head  of  Lake  Superior  which  then  seemed  destined 
to  become  a  phice  of  importance.  They  partially 
succeeded  in  their  project.  It  is  unquestionable 
that  Duluth  has  thriven  more  rapidly  than  Superior 
city  with  whicli  it  has  maintained  a  constant 
rivalry  from  the  outset.  Yet  the  stranger  whose 
expectations  are  very  moderate  will  be  the  least 
disappointed  Vv^ith  Duluth.  Eleven  churches  and 
a  few  houses  scattered  iq^on  a  hillside  are  all  that 
meets  the  eye  Avhen  the  city  is  approached  from 
the  Lake.  There  is  a  main  street  in  it  contain- 
ing stores  and  hotels ;  there  are  side  streets  con- 
taining many    unoccupied  building-sites ;    thero 


r- 


; 


i68 


Did  nth  to  Winnipeg. 


^ 

VM 


m 


% 


are  said  to  be  5000  people  in  the  city,  yet  notliin<^ 
is  visible  wliicli  produces  a  stronger  impression 
on  a  new-comer  than  that  made  on  the  least 
observant  stranger  by  the  siglit  of  other  preten- 
tious and  quite  as  populous  cities  in  the  United 
States  or  Canada.  It  must  be  apparent,  however, 
to  the  careful  observer  that  Dulutli  possesses 
natural  advantages  which  almost  justify  the  hopes 
and  boasts  of  its  founders.  This  city  is  the 
natural  depot  for  traffic  by  way  of  the  Lakes  to 
the  interior  of  the  Continent.  The  opening  of 
new  railways  to  the  w^est  has  had  the  effect  of 
increasins:  that  traffic  and  such  increase  must 
continue  to  benefit  Dulutli. 

Cairo  on  the  Mississippi,  the  *'Eden"  where 
Martin  Chuzzlewit  nearly  lost  his  life,  is  com- 
monly supposed  to  have  been  more  cleverly  and 
justly  ridiculed  in  its  younger  days  than  any 
other  city  in  the  United  States.  Quite  as  much 
ridicule  has  been  cast  n})on  Dulutli  and  nothing 
has  served  it  so  well.  None  of  the  advantages 
Avhicli  this  city  owes  to  Nature  have  helped  to 
make  it  so  attractive  as  the  speech  in  the  United 
States  Congress  which  Mr.  Proctor  Knott,  a 
representative  of  Kentucky,  delivered  in  February, 
]871,  a  speecli  which  was  designed  to  scout  its 


)rete 


tl 


le 


nsions 
country. 


and  to  make  it  the  lauo-liino-- stock  of 


o 


Whenever  the  conductors  of  Dulutli 


JMr.  Proctor  Knott's  Speech. 


169 


where 
com- 
aiid 


11 


(1  to 
itcd 


uaiy, 
lit  its 

•k  of 
lulntli 


newspapers  arc  at  loss  for  somctliing  Avlierewith 
to  fill  and  enliven  their  columns,  a  condition  of 
things  which  appears  to  be  not  infreqnent,  they 
reprint  Mr.  Proctor  Knott's  speech  and,  when- 
ever the  citizens  have  nothino-  better  to  do,  which 
appears  to  be  a  common  occurrence  also,  they  re- 
read it  with  unconcealed  satisfaction.  JMr.  Knott 
made  for  himself  a  reputation  for  oratory  by  tliis 
one  speech,  resembling  tliat  which  was  made  in 
the  House  of  Commons  by  the  member  who  was 
not  quite  accurately  nick-named"  Single  Speech  " 
Hamilton.  Mr.  Knott's  effort  is  a  strikinfij 
example  of  that  mock  heroic  vein  which  is  sup- 
posed to  be  the  forte  of  AYestern  orators.  It  made 
him  and  Duluth  the  subject  of  general  talk  and 
celebrity,  if  it  did  not  confer  upon  both  lasting 
fame.  It  was  directed  against  an  application  for 
a  grant  of  land  from  the  national  domain  which  ho 
fancied  would  advance  the  growth  and  foster  the 
jn'osperity  of  Duluth.  A  few  extracts  will  show 
the  character  of  a  speech  which  produced  a  more 
lasting  impression  than  hundreds  whicli  have  been 
addressed  to  Congress  in  our  day  and  which  no 
sane  person  would  dream  of  reprinting  from  the 
volumes  in  which  they  are  consigned  to  oblivion 
at  a  laro'o  cost  to  the  countrv.  After  a  laboured 
introduction  Mr.  Knott  said  :  "  Years  ago,  when  I 
first  heard  that  there  was  somewhere  in  the  vast 


•1^ 


:i,l.l 


'•BtSSK*'. 


TTTT 


170 


Dill  nth  to  Wuinipeg, 


.:! 


1 

Iw 


terra  inrnf/iiita,  somewhere  in  tlie  bleak  ref^'ions  of 
tlic  Nortlnvest,  a  stream  of  water  known  to  the 
nomadic  iiiliabitants  of  the  iiei\t;']ibourhood  as  tho 
river  St.  Croix,  I  l)eenme  satisfied  tliat  tlie  con- 
struction of  a  railway  from  that  raiifinof  torrent  to 
some  point  in  the  civilized  world  Avas  essential  to 
the  ha])piness  and  prosperity  of  tlie  American 
pc'ople,  if  not  absolutely  indispensable  to  the  per- 
petuity of  re])ublican  in^stitutions  on  tins  Continent. 
I  felt  instinctively  tliat  the  boundless  resources  of 
that  ]n'olific  reo-ion  of  sand  and  pine  shrubbery 
would  never  be  i'ully  developed  Avithout  a  railway 
constructed  and  equipped  at  the  expense  of  tho 
Govei'ninent,  and  perhaps  not  theji.  .  .  .  "Who 
will  have  tho  hardihood  to  rise  in  his  seat  on  this 
floor  and  assert  that,  excepting  tho  pine  busli(>s,  the 
entire  region  would  not  produce  vegetation  enough 
in  ten  years  to  fatten  a  grasshopper  ?  .  .  .  I  had 
been  satisfied  for  years  that  if  there  was  any  por- 
tion of  the  habitable  globe  absolutely  in  a  suffering 
condition  for  want  of  a  railroad,  it  was  the  teem- 
ing ])ine  barrens  of  the  St.  Croix.  At  what 
particular  point  on  that  noble  stream  such  a  road 
should  be  commenced  I  knew  was  immaterial, 
and  so  it  seems  to  have  been  considered  by  the 
draughtsman  of  this  bill.  It  might  be  np  at  the 
spring,  or  down  at  the  foot-log,  or  the  water- 
gate  or  the  fish-dam,  or  anywhere  on  the  bank,  no 
matter  where.  But  in  what  direction  it  should  run 
or  where  it  should  terminate  were  always  in  my 
mind  questions  of  the  most  painful  perplexity.  .  . 
I  w^as  utterly  at  a  loss  to  determine  where  the 
terminus   of  this    great   and  indispensable   road 


tcem- 

■ 

what 

1 

,  road 

I 

erial, 

1 

)y  tlie 

1 

lb  the 

m 

^at er- 

1 

ic,  BO 

1 

d  run 

1 

n  my 

'i 

y.  •  • 

I 
3-. 

Dclii^hts  of  Duliith. 


171 


X' 


the 


roat 


should  be,  initil  I  accidentally  overheard  some 
g'(Mitl("!naii  the  other  day  rncnlioii  the  name  oh' 
'Duhilh.'  Duluth  !  the  word  fell  upon  my  ear 
with  peculiar  aud  indescribable  charm,  lik'e  the 
gentle  murmur  of  a  low  fountain  stealim^  forth  in 
the  midst  of  roses,  or  tlie  soft  sweet  acc(^nts  of  an 
augel's  whisper  in  the  bright  joyous  dream  of 
sleeping  innocence.  Duluth  !  'Twas  the  name  for 
which  my  soul  had  panted  for  years,  as  a  liarb 
panteth  for  the  water- brooks.  I3ut  where  was 
Duluth  ?  Never,  in  my  limited  reading,  had  my 
vision  been  gladdened  by  seeing  the  celestial  word 
in  print.  And  I  felt  a  profound  humiliation  in  my 
ignorance  that  its  dulcet  syllables  had  never  before 
ravished  my  delighted  ear.  I  was  certain  that  the 
draut»"htsman  of  this  bill  had  never  heard  of  it, 
or  it  would  have  been  designated  as  one  ol:  the 
termini  of  this  road.  .  .  .  Yet,  sir,  had  it  not  been 
for  this  map  kindly  furnished  me  by  the  Legisla- 
ture of  Minnesota,  I  might  have  gone  down  to  my 
obscure  and  humble  grave  in  an  agony  of  despair, 
because  I  could  nowhere  find  Duluth.  .  .  .  The 
fact  is,  sir,  that  Duluth  is  pre-eminently  a  central 
place,  for  I  have  been  told  by  gentlemen  who  have 
been  so  reckless  of  their  personal  safety  as  to  ven- 
ture away  in  those  awful  regions  where  Duluth  is 
supposed  to  be,  that  it  is  so  exactly  in  the  centre 
of  the  visible  universe  that  the  skv  comes  down 
at  precisely  the  samo  distance  all  arouiul  it.  .  .  .- 
Th(3i^  sir,  there  is  the  climate  of  Duluth,  unques- 
tionablv  the  most  salubrious  and  (k'liu'hlfid  to  be 
found  anywhere  on  the  Lord's  eartli.  Now,  I 
have    always    been    under   the   impression,  as    I 


J,..- ,■ 


II 


172 


DuliUh  to  Winnipeg, 


prcsninc  otlioi'  o-i-ntlcincn  Inive,  tliat  in  thorco'ion 
aroniid  Jiiiko  Superior,  it  was  cold  ciioug-li  for  at 
least  nine  iiiontlis  in  a  year  to  freeze  tlie  smoke- 
stack off  a  locomotive.  But  I  see  it  represented 
on  tliis  map  tliat  Duliith  is  situated  exactly  half- 
way between  the  latitudes  of  Paris  and  Venice,  so 
that  <;'eutlenien  who  have  inhaled  the  exhilaratiiii^ 
airs  of  the  one  or  basked  in  tlio  golden  suidight 
of  tlio  other,  may  sco  at  a  olance  that  Dulutli 
must  bo  a  phico  of  nntold  delights,  a  terresti'ial 
paradise  fanned  by  the  bMlmy  ze})hyrs  of  an  eternal 
spring',  clothed  with  gorgeous  sheen  of  ever- 
blooming  flowers  and  vocal  with  silvTr  melody  of 
Nature's  choicest  songsters.  .  .  .  iSir,  I  might 
stand  here  for  hours  and  hours,  and  expatiate 
npon  the  gorgeons  prospects  of  Duluth,  as  de- 
picted on  this  map.  But  hunnm  life  is  far  too 
short  and  the  time  of  this  House  far  too  valuable 
to  allow  mo  to  linger  longer  npon  the  delightful 
theme.  I  think  every  gentleman  on  this  floor  is 
as  well  satisfied  as  I  am  that  Duluth  is  destined 
to  become  the  commercial  metropolis  of  the  Uni- 
verse, and  that  this  roail  should  be  built  at  once. 
.  .  .  Nevertheless,  sir,  it  grieves  my  soul  to  be 
compelled  to  say  that  I  cannot  vote  for  the  grant 
of  hinds  provided  for  in  this  bill.  .  ,  .  These 
lands,  which  I  am  asked  to  give  away,  alas,  are 
not  mine  to  bestow  !  My  relation  to  them  is 
sim])ly  that  of  trustee  to  an  express  trust.  And 
shall  I  ever  betra}^  that  trust?  Never,  sir! 
Rather  perish  Duluth  !  Perish  the  paragon  of 
cities !  Bather  let  the  freezing  cyclones  of  the  bleak 
Northwest  bury  it  for  ever  beneath  the  eddying 


iblo 

tful 

t»r  is 

iiicd 

Iiii- 

ice. 

bo 

■ant 

lese 

are 


sii 


.  ! 


of 


Ceo  2'}  'dp  J  I  i'cal  lienor  a  ncc. 


173 


% 


sands  of  tlio  St.  Croix.*'  The  spoecli  fi'om  Avliich 
tlie  foroo'oiii!^  extracts  arc  taken  has  been  pro- 
nounced "  the  most  anmsiug  speech  ever  mnde  in 
tlio  American  (congress;"  it  gave  its  aullior  a 
reputation  -which  ho  lias  not  adecpiately  sustained. 
But  the  most  curious  thing  is  tlie  ignorance  of 
geographij  sliown  in  it ;  if  a  foreigner  liad  made 
half  tlio  numljor  of  blunders  witli  Avhich  Mr.  Knott 
is  chargeable,  he  would  ])o  held  up  to  scorn  in 
hundreds  of  newspapers  throughout  tho  Union, 
and  pronounced  a  being  unworthy  to  live.  If  Mr. 
Knott  had  spoken  about  tho  St.  Louis  liiv^-r,  his 
remarks  would  have  had  some  cogency  ;  if  the  St. 
Croix  River  were  to  swallow  up  Duluth  it  would 
have  to  begin  by  making  a  journey  across  Lake 
Superior.  Intending  to  ban  Duluth,  ]\Ir.  Knott 
succeeded  in  blessing  it  most  effectively.  Tho 
bill  which  was  thrown  out,  owing  to  his  speech, 
was.  oi')posed  by  tho  friends  of  Duluth,  and  was 
supported  by  the  friends  of  Superior  City,  of 
which  it  was  the  rival.  Indeed,  to  repeat  what  I 
have  said  and  to  do  so  in  the  grateful  words  of  a 
Duluth  newspaper,  Mr.  Proctor  Knott's  speech 
"  gave  Du'.uth  the  best  advertisement  she  ever 
had." 

For  a  year  before,  and  for  three  years  after  this 
speech  was  delivered,  the  city  was  in  a  state  of 
feverish  activity.     In  the  spring  of  1870,  every 


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33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

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174 


Diilnth  to  Winnipeg, 


boat  that  arrived  swarmed  witli  passengers  and 
every  stage-coach  was  over-crowded.  A  railway 
was  in  construction  to  St.  Paul,  the  capital  of  the 
State  and  ^Ir.  Jay  Cooke  had  projected  the 
Northern  Pacific  railway  which  was  to  run  from 
Lake  Superior  to  Puget  Sou.ul  on  the  Pacific. 
Mr.  Jay  Cooke  suspended  payment  in  1873  and  a 
panic  spread  to  Duluth  from  the  financial  centres 
of  the  United  States ;  real  property  fell  to  one- 
fourth  of  its  former  price  and  then,  as  an  eye- 
witness wrote,  "  for  a  few  months,  there  was  as 
much  of  a  sfavipede  from  Duluth  as  there  had 
formerly  been  of  a  rush  to  the  place." 

A  worse  fate  than  being  buried  '*  beneath  the 
eddying  sands  of  the  St.  Croix  River"  was  reserved 
for  *•  the  Zenith  City  of  the  Unsalted  Seas."  In 
the  days  of  its  prosperity,  money  had  been  bor- 
rowed and  expended  in  a  reckless  fashion  :  when 
the  panic  subsided,  the  citizens  w^lio  remained 
behind,  found  themselves  face  to  face  with 
municipal  bankruptcy.  Not  till  1879  was  a  com- 
promise effected  whereby  the  creditors  agreed  to 
cancel  one-fourth  of  the  amount  due  to  them. 
The  most  significant  sign  of  the  depression  then 
prevailing  in  Duluth,  and  the  circumstance  most 
deplored  by  many  citizens,  was  the  publication 
of  the  newspapers  once  a  week  instead  of  every 
day.     There  are  two  weeklies  now,  The  Tribune 


]\Tannfac hires  and  Trade, 


175 


and  The  Lnl-e  Suiter  lor  Kcirs.  Sliould  tlic  revival 
in  trade  continue,  a  daily  newspaper,  tliat  neces- 
sary of  existence  according  to  western  ideas,  may 
again  be  reissued  here.  Certaiidy,  the  confidence 
in  the  city'sfuture  which  had  vanished, has  returned 
in  full  measure  and  speculation  in  land  is  renewed 
in  the  old  style.  During  my  visit  1  learned  that 
pieces  of  land  which  could  scarcely  bo  sold  for 
$500  six  months  before  were  then  easily  saleable 
at  SI 500. 

Several  sawmills  and  a  blast  furnace  are  in  active 
operation  ;  an  industry  paying  those  who  take 
part  in  it  very  well  is  collecting  tlie  sand  on  the 
shore  of  the  Lake  and  despatching  it  to  glass- 
making  works,  where  it  is  in  demand.  There  is  a 
large  elevator  for  the  transhipment  of  grain  and 
there  are  well-built  docks  for  the  accommodation  of 
shipping.  Indeed,  Duluth  is  not  only  doing  a  largo 
trade  now,  but  has  made  full  provision  for  future 
expansion. 

The  additional  traffic  carried  over  the  Northern 
Pacific  Railway  when  its  construction  was  resumed 
benefited  the  trade  of  this  place,  while  the  emi- 
gration to  Manitoba  has  had  the  like  effect.  The 
Canadian  Government  have  erected  a  home  for 
the  emigrants  who  halt  here  on  their  way  to 
Manitoba.  It  is  under  the  intelligent  and  atten- 
tive supervision  of  Mr.  Grahame,  the  Canadian 


■    ! 


» 


p 


176 


Diduth  to  Winnipeg, 


Emigration  -Agent.  He  told  mo  that  tlie  immi- 
grants are  often  very  exacting  and  are  generally 
very  dii'ty  and  that  those  among  them  who  were 
most  stinted  in  their  means  and  living  before  they 
left  home,  developc  tho  most  luxurious  tastes 
after  crossing  the  ocean. 

An  express  train  starts  once  daily  from  Dulutli 
for  Winnipeg.  It  is  not  long  since  the  passengers 
who  started  for  the  same  destination  could  not 
travel  farther  by  rail  than  Fisher's  Landing,  on 
Red  Lake  River,  the  average  time  taken  being  a 
week.  Now,  the  journey  between  the  '*  Zenith 
City  of  the  Unsalted-  Seas "  and  the  Capital 
of  Manitoba  can  be  made  in  twenty-seven  hours. 
The  scenery  is  very  beautiful  on  part  of  the  line 
skirtin":  the  left  bank  of  the  river  St.  Louis. 
The  "  Dalles  of  the  St.  Louis  "  are  as  striking  as 
those  of  the  Columbia  River,  though  on  a  smaller 
scale.  AVithin  the  space  of  four  miles  the  river 
descends  400  feet,  passing  over  serrated  rocks 
which  are  enclosed  between  high  banks,  the  ap- 
pearance being  that  of  a  series  of  small  and  long 
drawn  out  cataracts  surging  downwards. 

At  Glyndon  the  passengers  for  Manitoba  change 
to  the  St.  Paul  and  Manitoba  line,  while  those  for 
the  Northern  Pacific  continue  their  journey  west- 
wards. There  is  a  second  change  at  St.  Vincent, 
the  frontier  city  between  Canada  and  the  United 


Land  Spcndatoi's. 


1/7 


on 


ap- 
long 


for 
est- 
ent, 
lited 


States,  to  the  Pembina  branch  of  the  Canadi.m 
Pacific  Railway.  I  have  made  tliis  trip  several 
times  without  finding  many  tilings  worthy  of  recoi'd 
and  I  have  been  quite  as  unfortunate  after  having 
spent  a  night  at  Glyndon.  Yet  emigrants  who 
pass  over  the  line  are  kept  in  a  state  of  pleasing 
excitement  from  the  time  they  quit  Canadian 
territory  till  the  time  they  re-enter  it.  Land 
agents  and  speculators  are  accustomed  to  travel 
backwards  and  forwards  in  order  to  persuade  the 
emiofrants  to  make  their  new  homes  in  the  United 
States.  Tliese  persons  commonly  assume  the 
characters  of  disappointed  Englishmen  who,  hav- 
ing tried  Manitoba,  left  it  in  disgust,  and  have 
found  a  genuine  Eden  on  United  States  soil. 
As  the  profits  of  these  agents  are  not  small  when 
they  manage  to  sell  the  land  belonging  to  the 
Company  with  which  they  are  connected,  they 
are  naturally  disposed  to  make  representations  of 
greater  strength  than  trustworthiness  in  order  to 
effect  sales. 

I  can  write  from  personal  experience  in  this 
matter.  It  was  erroneously  thought  b}'^  a  woi'thy 
gentleman  that  I  was  on  the  way  to  settle  in 
Manitoba  and  mi'jfht  be  induced  to  settle  in  .>iinne- 
sota  instead.  He  told  me  that  many  English 
families  were  expected  to  arrive  and  take  up  their 
abodes  on  the  prairie  lands  of  Northern  Minne- 

N 


f.t 


I  ? 


f 


178 


Diihtth  to  Winnipeg, 


sota  and  that  tlie  rrprcsoiitntivo  of  an  Enalisli 
Company  was  in  nc<»'otiatioii  witli  tlio  St.  Paul 
and  JManitoba  railway  company  for  50,000,000 
acros.  There  had  been  a  sHy-lit  liitch  in  the  ncofo- 
tiations,  but  my  informant  adch.^d  "  I  guess  that 
will  be  fixed."  He  explained  that  the  gentleman 
desired  the  Company  to  let  him  have  the  land  at 
§4  an  acre  and  to  insert  in  the  deed  of  sale  that 
the  price  paid  was  $8.  This  gentleman  could 
then  make  sales  in  England  at  a  professedly  sliglit 
advance  upon  what  he  had  actually  paid,  while 
his  real  profit  would  be  more  than  double.  I  was 
cognizant  of  a  flagrant  case  in  which  isfnorant 
persons  in  England  had  been  made  to  pay  $25  an 
acre  for  Minnesota  land  which  could  have  been 
bought  on  the  spot  for  less  than  $4.  I  found 
that  the  gentleman  who  was  negotiating  with  the 
St.  Paul  and  Manitoba  Railway  for  50,000,000 
and  who  was  said  to  have  170  families  waiting 
to  be  transported  thither  from  England  in  the 
following  spring  bore  the  same  name  as  the  one 
who  had  disposed  of  land  in  another  part  of  the 
country  at  an  enormous  profit  to  himself.  I 
learned  also  that  a  second  Englishman  who  was 
very  active  in  recommending  Minnesota  as  the 
best  place  to  which  his  countrymen  could  emigrate, 
had  been  trying  to  establish  a  land  Company,  but 
had  failed  owing  to  insisting  not  only  upon  a  large 


A  Hint  to  EniioTants. 


1/9 


coTninission,  but  upon  a  double  commission.  I  do 
not  question  the  advfintnge  of  clioosing  Minnesota 
as  a  place  of  residence.  It  may  be  quite  true, 
as  is  alleged,  that  the  land  in  the  North-western 
part  of  that  State  is  superior  to  that  in  the  South- 
west of  Manitoba,  even  though  an  imaginary  lino 
is  the  only  separation  between  them.  The  soil 
may  be  affected  in  some  occult  way  by  the  nation- 
ality of  the  flag  flying  over  it.  Yet,  after  assuming 
for  the  sake  of  argument,  the  truth  of  everything 
that  I  have  heard  in  favour  of  this  part  of  the 
Continent,  I  still  maintain  that  no  folly  can  be 
greater  than  buying  land  here  on  the  representa- 
tions of  a  third  party,  and  that  those  purchasers 
of  land  will  have  least  reason  to  repent  them  of 
their  bargains  who  enter  into  no  contract  and  make 
no  payment  till  they  have  seen  the  land  with  their 
own  eyes. 


t  j 


■  I 


if 


n2 


■  mi 


hi 


I     -i 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

ON  TnE    EED   RIVER   OP  THE   NORTH. 

ArTnouon  tlie  trip  to  Manitoba  by  rail  through 
United  States  territory  is  generally  uninteresting, 
yet  the  trip  by  water  is  sometimes  diversified  by 
incident.  The  railway  attracts  all  the  passengers 
in  winter;  but  the  steamers  on  the  Red  River 
of  the  North  are  eagerly  patronized  during 
the  summer  time.  Having  made  the  trip  all  the 
way  by  rail  and  partly  by  rail  and  partly  by  water, 
I  can  affirm  from  experience  that,  by  journeying 
partly  by  rail  and  parti}?-  by  water,  an  adequate 
notion  can  be  formed  of  the  country  and  its  insects, 
while  much  more  can  be  learned  about  the  people. 
Besides,  the  Red  River  is  a  stream  of  sufficient 
volume  and  importance  to  deserve  notice.  Com- 
pared with  the  JMississippi,  the  Red  River  of  the 
North  appears  insigniticant.  Nevertheless,  as  its 
length  from  Elbow  Lake,  in  which  it  rises,  to  Lake 
Winnipeg  into  which  it  flows,  is  900  miles,  it  merits 
a  place  among  the  great  rivers  of  the  world. 


Course  of  the  Red  River. 


iSi 


Two  Rt;(l  Rivers  are  niiinborecl  amono-tlic  notable 
Btrcanis  of  the  North  American  Continent.  One 
of  tliem  rises  in  the  Territory  of  New  ^lexico, 
flows  tlirouui'li  the  States  of  Texas,  Ai'kansas,  and 
Louisiana,  and,  j{)iiiin<»;t]ie  Mississippi, lielps  toswell 
the  vohime  of  tlie  nn'^htv flood  which  the  Father  of 

O  t 

Waters  pours  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  other, 
which  is  known  as  tlie  Red  River  of  the  North,  rises 
in  Elbow  Lake,  in  the  State  of  ^linnesota.  Its 
source  is  not  far  distant  from  Lake  Itaska,  which 
is  the  fountain-head  of  the  Mississippi.  Tlioiigh 
that  river's  course  is  southward  and  the  course  of 
the  Mississippi  is  northward  when  both  streams 
first  issue  from  their  parent  lakes,  yet  they  soon 
follow  the  direction  wliich  they  keep  till  their  race 
is  run.  The  Ke '  River,  in  its  northerly  prou^ress, 
divides  the  ^IViiitory  of  Dakota  from  the  State  of 
Minnesota,;  it  enters  the  Canadian  Province  of 
Manitoba  at  Fort  Pembina ;  it  passes  by  the  city 
of  Winnipeg,  the  capital  of  that  Province,  where 
it  is  joined  by  the  Assineboine,  flowing  from  the 
west;  it  enters  Lake  Winnipeg,  whence  it  issues 
under  the  name  of  Nelson  River;  and,  Anally,  it 
finds  its  level  and  a  last  resting-jilace  in  the  icy 
waters  of  Hudson's  Bay.  The  valley  bearing  the 
same  name  through  which  it  runs  is  still  more 
remarkable  than  the  Red  River  itself.  For  a  spaco 
which  is  400  miles  in  length  by  70  in  breadth,  that 


'1  *-■ 


w 


1 82  On  the  Red  Rhcr  of  the  North, 

vjilloy  is  llio  finest  whcat-jjrnwiiii^  tract  on  tlio 
contiiiunt  of  North  Amoricu,  if  not  on  the  habitable 
globe. 

Fai'niing  on  a  scale  nnparallcled  except  in 
California  is  prosecuted  in  the  Red  River  Valley. 
This  dates  from  the  year  1875,  when  several 
capitalists  bonght  vjist  tracts  of  land  there.  ^Ir. 
B.  P.  Cheney,  of  Boston,  and  ^Ir.  Oliver 
Dalryraple,  of  8t.  Paul,  purchased  5000  acres  of 
■which  8500  were  under  cultivation  in  1879.  In 
1877  they  harvested  42,000  bushels  of  wheat,  GOOO 
of  oats,  and  3000  of  barley.  The  machinery  on 
this  farm  comprises  40  ploughs,  10  seeders,  40 
harrows,  16  harvesters,  3  steam  thrashing 
machines,  and  3  portable  steam-engines.  As  many 
as  a  hundred  men  are  employed  at  the  busiest 
season.  Mr.  Cass  has  a  farm  of  GOOO  acres, 
nearly  the  whole  of  which  is  sown  with  wheat. 
Large  though  these  farms  are,  yet  they  seem  small 
in  comparison  with  that  belonging  to  Mr.  William 
Dalrymple  ;  it  covers  30  sqnare  miles.  The  area 
sown  with  wheat  in  1878  was  20,900  acres;  the 
yield  was  250,000  bushels.  Seventy-five  reaping 
and  binding  machines  were  used  to  harvest  the 
crop,  the  work  being  done  at  the  rate  of  1000 
acres  a  day.  This  farm  is  managed  on  the  plan 
of  a  factory.  It  is  divided  into  sections  of  2000 
acres,  over  each  of  which  an  overseer  is  placed ; 


j\Ianu)ioth  Farms. 


18 


ho  cnrrics  out  tlio  orders  of  jMr.  Dalrymple  just  as 
a  Ih'inadier-Gciu'rjil  carries  out  the  orders  of  the 
Coimiiander-iu-Chief  of  an  army.  Comfortablo 
dwellinji^s  are  pi-ovided  for  the  overseers,  wliilo 
there  is  a  boardiiiix-liouse  for  tlie  accommodation 
of  the  farm-hibourers.  Each  section  has  its 
granary,  stables,  machine-shop,  and  engine-house. 
Indeed,  the  vast  estate  is  really  divided  into  a 
number  of  separate  farms,  each  complete  in  itself, 
and  all  subject  to  a  common  head.  Four  hundred 
and  fifty  labourers  and  upwards  of  three  hundred 
horses  and  mules  are  employed  on  this  farm ; 
three  bookkeepers  are  required  to  register  the 
accounts,  and  two  cashiers  to  receive  and  disburse 
the  nioney.  Indeed  the  whole  arrangements  are 
designed  to  assimilate  the  production  of  grain  to 
the  operations  of  a  manufactory.  The  idyllic  side 
of  farming  has  no  place  here.  The  farmer  is  a 
capitalist;  the  farm-labourer  is  called  a  "hand" 
and  treated  as  one.  Advocates  of  spade-husbandry 
will  see  nothing  to  admire  in  this  wholesale  method 
of  cultivating  the  soil,  and  they  will  maintain  that 
if  this  system  should  grow  in  favour,  the  day 
must  arrive  when,  in  the  United  States  as  in 
certain  European  countries, there  will  be  a  perma- 
nent and  rigid  separation  between  the  tillers  of 
the  soil  and  its  owners.  However,  while  land 
continues  as  plentiful  and  as  easily  acquired   in 


i    ■ 


1  ■■ 


<\  -i  \ 


Hi 


1     i    •    ^ 

1 

\    1 

1  i 

i  ;! 
1  1 
1   : 

f 

a. 

■ 

184  On  the  Red  River  of  the  North, 

Nortli  Anici'ica  as  it  was  in  I'^iiropo  dui'inp:  tlio 
]\U(ldle  Af^es,  wlwii  tlio  oxistiiij^  lai'ge  estates  wei'e 
fonuccl  ill  l']nn;]aii(l,  tlie  citizens  of  tlie  United 
States  will  disri^ouiMl  pfloomy  i'oivbodinj^s  and  will 
continue  to  lavish  t  heir  admiral  i(»n  iij)on  a  success- 
fid  capitalist  like  Mr.  Dalrvniple.  His  farm  is  a 
common  topic  of  calorification  amon^  the  citizens 
of  the  new  North-West,  and  of  admiring  envy 
among  the  dwellers  in  less  fertile  parts  of  the  land. 
My  present  purpose  is  not  to  linger  and  describe 
what  may  be  observed  on  the  Red  River  within 
the  United  States,  but  to  journey  along  it  to  the 
Canatlian  Province  of  Manitoba.  That  n;er  is 
the  silent  highway  of  intercourse  between  the 
citizens  of  the  Union  and  the  citizens  of  the 
British  Empire.  A  few  years  ago  an  Indian 
canoe  was  the  only  kind  of  boat  Avhich  traversed 
its  surface.  Now  steam  vessels  pass  backwards 
and  forwards  between  St.  Vincent,  a  station  of 
the  St.  Paul  and  Manitoba  Railway  and  the  capital 
of  Canada's  Prairie  Province.  There  has  been  a 
settlement  of  British  subjects  on  this  river  since 
the  year  1812.  Then  the  Earl  of  Selkirk,  chair- 
man of  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  induced. 
Highlanders,  who  conld  not  live  in  comfort  on 
their  native  heath,  to  seek  a  new  home  in  the 
heart  of  the  North  America^  C(mtinent.  Nearly 
half  a  century  after  this  settlement  was  formed, 


By  IVaUr  to  Winnipeg, 


185 


Dr.  Rao,  tlu^  fainons  Arctic  ('Xj)l()rer,  iiifoniuMl  a 
ScKct  Coiimiittio  of  tlic  House  of  Coininoiis  that 
about  two  inontlis  were  rccjuircd  to  jouiMu>y  from 
Toronto,  in  Upper  Canada,  totlic  Red  liivi  rScttlc- 
mont  in  Kupcrt's  Land.  Tlic  Earl  (»f  Soutlicsk,  wl»o 
went  to  hunt  in  tlie  Hudson's  Ihiy  Territory  in 
18u9,  saw  a  steamer  on  the  Red  River  For  tho 
first  time.  In  1  '2  the  hitc  Lord  ^Milton  and 
Dr.  Cheadlc  expeiitncod  on  tlie  Red  River  a  pain- 
ful foretaste  '  '  the  peri'.,  which  had  to  be  laced 
and  surmounted  L*  fore  thev  could  Ix's^in  their 
toilsome  journe^  across  the  North-Western  Wil- 
derness. Findiiiu:  that  the  steamer  sailed  but  onco 
a  fortni«jht,  and  not  carinu:  tu  wait  for  it,  thev 
started  down  the  rapid  stream  in  a  canoe,  and 
endured  extraordinary  hardsliips  before  they 
reached  Fort  Garry.  Eight  years  latter  Captain 
Butler  was  commissioned  by  Colonel  (now  Sir 
Garnet)  Wolseley,  the  chief  of  the  exi)cdition  which 
was  sent  to  suppress  Riel's  rebellion,  to  proceed 
to  Winnipeg  through  tho  United  States.  He 
passed  along  the  Red  River  in  the  steamer  Inter- 
national, and  suffered  by  the  way  as  others  have 
done  before  and  since.  The  tale  of  his  misery 
is  graphically  told  in  "  The  Great  Lone  Land." 

The  inconvenience  of  this  route  caused  the 
Government  of  Canada  to  devise  another  within 
the  hmits  of  the  Dominion,     This    was  known 


i 


t 


w 


1/ 


I 


l':i 


\-- 

j:       K  ■ 

ij 

i. 

1 86  On  the  Red  River  of  the  North, 

as  tlie  Dawson  route.  A  traveller  over  It,  wlio 
started  from  Tliimder  Bay,  on  Lake  Superior, 
reached  Fort  Garry  in  the  course  of  three  weeks. 
The  Red  Kiver  expedition,  under  Sir  Garnet 
Wolscley,  wdiich  first  passed  over  this  part  of 
the  countiy,  took  three  months  to  make  the 
same  trip.  As  the  Dawson  route  proved  unre- 
munerative  to  its  promoters,  it  has  long  ceased 
to  be  a  regular  patlnvay  for  traffic  and  travel 
between  the  provinces  of  Ontario  and  Manitoba. 
The  traveller  Avho  started  from  the  capital  of  the 
former  province  for  that  of  the  latter  either  went 
to  Chicago  by  rail,  thence  by  another  line  of 
railway  to  St.  Paul  and  Fisher's  Landing,  where 
he  stepped  on  board  a  steamer  wliich  carried  him 
to  his  destination,  or  else  he  took  the  train  to  the 
shore  of  Lake  Superior,  where  he  embarked  in  a 
steamer  for  Dulutli ;  thence  he  proceeded  by  rail 
to  Fisher's  Landing,  and  by  steamer  to  Winnipeg. 
But,  whichever  route  was  chosen,  the  time  occu- 
pied was  not  less  than  11  days,  so  that  Manitoba 
remained  as  far  apart  from  the  Eastern  Provinces 
of  the  Dominion  as  Canada  is  from  England. 
My  first  trip  to  Manitoba  was  made  by  rail  from 
St.  Paul  to  Fisher's  Landing,  thence  by  water 
to  Winnipeg.  Since  then  the  landing-place  has 
been  changed  to  St.  Vincent,  thus  saving  the 
tedious  navigation  of  Red  Lake  River. 


Lake  Minndonlca, 


187 


wlio 


1  peps- 


in the  spring,  wlien  tlie  river  is  in  flood,  tlie 
500  miles  wliich  separate  the  two  places  can  be 
traversed  in  48  hours.  In  the  autumn  the  river 
is  very  low  and  then  the  passage  is  very  tedious. 
The  return  voyage  which  I  made  occupied  five 
days  and  nights.  The  first  part  of  the  journey 
northwards  is  easy  and  pleasant.  Leaving  the 
capital  of  Minnesota  by  the  St.  Paul  and 
Manitoba  Railway  at  5  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
the  passenger  reaches  Fisher's  Landing  shortly 
before  noon  the  following  day.  Twenty-five 
miles  from  the  starting-place  a  stoppage  is  made 
at  Wayzata,  on  Lake  Minnetonka.  This  Lake  is 
one  of  the  natural  attractions  of  the  State  of 
Minnesota, ;  it  excites  even  greater  admiration 
than  the  falls  of  JMinnehaha,  which  owe  much  of 
their  popularity  to  Mr.  Longfellow's  poetry.  The 
Lake  consists  of  a  series  of  bays,  each  of  which  is 
a  lake  in  miniature,  and  many  are  studded  with 
wooded  islands.  There  are  25  of  these  bays.  The 
Lake  is  navigable  for  a  length  of  17  miles.  In 
olden  time  it  was  the  favouiite  haunt  of  Dakota 
Indians ;  they  encamped  on  its  margin  or  en  one 
of  its  islands.  They  caught  fish  in  the  lake, 
gathered  wild  fruits  on  the  islands,  hunted  deer 
and  other,  game  in  the  surrounding  forests,  and 
procured  sugar  from  the  maple  trees  which 
beautified   the    scene.     The    places    of   the  wild 


s   I 


!l^ 


1  i 


i  i 


\ 


1:^1 


1     e     ! 


1 88  0^1  the  Red  River  of  the  North, 

Indians  are  now  filled  with  thousands  of  civilized 
tourists,  who  enjoy  themselves  during  the  hot 
months  of  summer  along  the  shores  or  on  the 
bosom  of  the  lake.  As  we  proceed  northward 
there  is  a  change  in  the  aspect  of  the  land.  The 
southern  part  of  Minnesota  is  diversified  with 
wood  and  rising  ground ;  the  northern  is  genuine 
prairie,  extending  to  the  horizon  without  any- 
thing but  a  few  log  houses  to  vary  its  flat  sur- 
face. 

The  monotony  of  the  night  journey  was  broken 
by  an  incident  of  which  I  do  not  desire  a  repetition. 
About  midnight  the  car  was  filled  with  an  acrid 
and  stifling  odour ;  such  a  smell  I  had  never  ex- 
perienced before.  If  the  pungent  and  nauseous 
effect  produced  by  throwing  water  upon  hot 
cinders  were  intensified  a  hundredfold  and  if  all 
the  worst  stenches  were  combined  with  it,  the 
result  would  not  equal  the  reality  on  this 
occasion.  In  the  morning  I  learnt  that  the  train 
had  passed  over  a  skunk.  The  small  town,  called 
Fisher's  Landing,  from  which  the  steamers  started 
was  on  the  model  of  Western  cities.  It  had  two 
hotels,  between  which  there  was  nothing  to 
choose,  both  being  as  comfortable  and  attractive 
as  the  cabin  of  an  Irish  bog-trotter.  There  were 
several  drinking-saloons  and  one  general  store ;  a 
sensible  notice  in  the  latter  was  to  the  effect  that 


Stcjii  Wheel  Steamers, 


189 


^ilized 
e  hot 
11  the 
iwiird 
The 
with 
inuine 

t  sur- 

jroken 
3titioTi. 
L  acrid 
er  ex- 
useous 
n    hot 
if  all 
t,  the 
this 
train 
called 
tarted 
d  two 
11  g   to 
active 
were 
lore;  a 
t  that 


persons  who  came  to  make  purchases  were  more 
welcome  than  those  who  merely  wished  to  gossip. 
Fisher's  Landing  is  on  the  Red  Lake  River,  a 
stream  which  joins  the  main  one  at  Grand  Forks. 
Steamers  plied  between  it  and  Winnipeg  twice 
weekly  between  tlie  months  of  May  and  Septem- 
ber. The  Manitoba  was  the  one  in  which  I  Avent, 
and  the  Minnesota  the  one  in  wliich  I  returned. 
They  are  the  property  of  the  Kittson  Transpor- 
tation Company.  I  gladly  acknowledge  that  the 
officials  of  the  company  and  tlie  officers  of  the 
steamers  did  what  they  could  to  render  the 
voyage  as  pleasant  as  possible.  The  boats  are 
unlike  anything  to  be  seen  in  England.  Their 
appearance  can  best  be  realized  by  supposing  a 
Thames  coal-baro;e  to  have  a  deck  and  two  long: 
furnaces,  with  boilers  aboA'e  them,  placed  near 
the  bow,  and  two  steam-engines  further  aft. 
Tlie  engines  work  a  paddle-wheel  which  is  tlie 
breadth  of  the  boat,  and  revolves  at  the  stern. 
"Above  the  boilers  and  engines  is  a  wooden  house, 
containing  the  saloon  and  state-rooms.  The  top  of 
this  house  forms  the  upper  deck.  Pipes  convey- 
ing steam  from  the  boilers  to  the  engines  run 
under  the  thin  flooring  of  the  state-rooms,  which 
are  situated  at  the  sides  of  the  saloon.  As  the 
thermometer  seldom  indicated  less  than  95  deg. 
in   the    sliade    during  this  journey  on  the  Red 


I 


m^ 


ii.ti- 


!'r 


1 90  On  the  Red  River  of  the  North. 


R 


the  extra  heat  from  the 


t'i 


T:         1 


"Mil 


1  :i 
^    !i 
il'i^l 

III: 


steam  pipes  was 
a  superfluity  with  which  the  occupants  of  the 
state-rooms  could  easily  dispense. 

Though  the  heat  was  intolerable  almost  beyond 
endurance  and  far  in  excess  of  wliat  most  of  the 
passengers  had  ever  experienced,  yet  it  was  not 
the  worst  infliction.  Myriads  of  hungry  and 
ruthless  mosquitoes  plied  their  sanguinary  trade 
in  every  corner  of  the  steamboat  where  a  human 
being  could  be  approached.  Many  black  flies 
rivalled  them  in  assiduous  efforts  to  get  food  and 
inflict  pain.  At  a  competitive  examination  a 
black  fly  could  bear  away  the  prize  from  a 
mosquito.  He  bites  with  greater  force  and  to  a 
greater  depth,  and  he  clings  to  the  surface  of  the 
skin  with  more  firmness  than  a  mosquito,  while 
the  irritation  which  he  leaves  behind  lasts  longer 
and  is  more  painful  than  that  produced  by  his 
fellow  pest.  It  is  a  beautiful  provision  in  nature 
that  a  real  or  imaginary  remedy  is  provided  for 
every  plague.  Everybody  knows  that  there  are 
several  "  infallible  "  cures  for  sea-sickness.  Pro- 
vision of  the  same  kind  exists  for  the  protection 
of  the  human  skin  against  the  bites  of  venomous 
insects.  A  passenger  on  board  the  Manitoba  was 
the  happy  possessor  of  one  of  these  infallible 
remedies.  He  had  being  fishing  in  Labrador, 
where  the  streams  are  alive  with  fish  and  the  air 


Onslaughts  of  Insects, 


191 


is  dark  with  stinging  insects,  and  he  liad  been  ablo 
to  pursue  liis  sport  in  comfort  by  smearing  him- 
self with  a  mixture  of  tar  and  sweet  oil.  He  was 
loud  in  praise  of  this  panacea  before  the  mosqui- 
toes and  black  flies  pounced  upon  their  prey.  He 
prepared  himself  for  tlie  onslaught,  and  he  was 
kind  enough  to  allow  myself  and  others  to  do  the 
same  by  rubbing  the  skin  with  the  mixture.  It 
was  not  long^  before  ho  stated  with  extreme 
emphasis  that  the  insects  of  the  Red  River  must 
be  ditrcrently  constituted  from  those  of  Labrador, 
because  what  repelled  the  latter  seemed  to  attract 
the  former. 

The  distance  from  Fisher's  Landing  to  Grand 
Forks  is  12  miles  by  land.  It  is  about  50  miles 
by  water.  The  time  taken  to  go  between  these 
two  places  when  the  water  is  low  varies  from  18 
to  30  hours.  Ten  hours  were  consumed  in 
passing  over  the  worst  part,  the  distance  being 
four  miles.  I  was  surprised,  not  that  the  steamer 
made  slow  progress,  but  that  it  made  any.  The 
river  winds  to  a  degree  which  is  unprecedented. 
At  few  parts  is  the  course  a  straight  one  for  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  in  length.  What  renders  the 
navigation  more  laborious  is  that  a  barge,  laden 
to  the  water's  edge,  is  generally  lashed  alongside 
the  steamer ;  hence  the  dilliculty  of  rounding 
sharp  curves  is  materially  increased.     The  stop- 


's 


\  I 


^ . 


192 


On  the  Red  River  o^ the  North, 


pages  are  frequent  and  tedious.  Sometimes  they 
arc  caused  by  the  barge  and  the  steamer  ground- 
ing on  a  shoal,  and  then  a  rope  has' to  be  sent  on 
sliore,  fastened  round  a  tree,  and  dragged  in  by 
tac  steam  ^.vinch,  or  "nigger"  as  it  is  here  called, 
till  the  tree  is  torn  up  by  its  roots  or  the  steamer 
is  moved  into  deep  water.  At  other  times  long 
halts  are  made  to  repair  tlie  stern  wheel,  the  floats 
of  which  are  often  broken  by  striking  against  the 
bank.  It  is  strange,  indeed,  that  the  steamer  is 
not  seriously  injured  every  voyage.  At  the 
narrowest  and  most  cur .  ed  parts  of  the  river  the 
steamer's  bow  is  forcibly  sent  against  one  bank, 
while  its  stern  is  swung  round  by  the  force  of  the 
current,  and  each  shock  shakes  it  from  stem  to 
stern  so  terribly  as  to  produce  the  impression 
that  the  entire  structure  must  fall  to  pieces. 

When  a  steamer  runs  aground  or  stops  for 
repairs  during  the  day,  the  cabin-boys,  and  tlie 
crew,  who  are  not  on  duty,  set  to  work  and  catch 
fish.  They  use  long  lines  weighted  with  sinkers ; 
a  piece  of  raw  meat  forms  the  bait.  Cat-fish, 
gold-e}?es,  and  pike  abound  in  the  river,  and  a 
good  catch  of  fish  is    often   secured  during  the 


interval    of 


waiting. 


The   ano'lers   and  the  on- 


lookers are  kept  awake  and  excited  by  the  insects, 
which  increase  in  number  and  energy  when  the 
vessel  is  stationary.     If  any  one  is  tempted  by  the 


Scenery  on  the  Banks, 


193 


for 
a  the 
catch 
vers ; 
-fish, 
nd  a 

the 

on- 
ects, 

the 
lythe 


wild  grapes  or  wild  plums  to  go  ashore  and  pluck 
them,  he  gladly  returns  on  board.  The  mosquitoes 
are  even  more  plentiful  and  savage  on  land  than 
on  water.  On  each  bank  there  is  a  belt  of  timber ; 
outside  this  fringe  of  trees,  the  prairie  stretches  its 
apparently  illimitable  expanse.  The  wood,  which 
comprises  elder,  oak,  box,  ash,  and  elm  trees, 
constitutes  the  supply  for  fuel  and  building  pur- 
poses over  a  very  large  area.  Rafts  formed  oi 
the  fallen  trees  are  floated  down  to  Winnipeg, 
where  they  are  broken  np  and  the  logs  sawn  into 
boards.  One  of  the  rafts  which  we  passed  was 
navigated  by  a  woman ;  a  man  lay  in  a  rude 
structure  erected  upon  it.  Household  furniture 
was  piled  up  at  the  sides,  the  whole  being  the 
worldly  effects  of  a  couple  changing  their  place  of 
abode.  The  man,  who  had  kept  watch  during 
the  night,  now  slept  while  his  helpmate  took  her 
turn  in  steering. 

The  steamer  stopped  at  four  stations  between 
Fisher's  Landing  and  Fort  Garry.  The  first  was 
Grand  Forks,  a  town  in  Dakota  Territorv ;  the 
second  Fort  Pembina,  on  the  frontier  between 
the  United  States  and  Canada;  the  third  West 
Lynn,  a  Canadian  settlement,  where  is  Fort 
Dufferin,  a  trading-post;  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company;  and  Emerson,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river,  which  is  one  of  the  rising  towns  of 


^ 


I' 


194  ^'^  ^^^^  ^'^^^  River  of  the  North. 


y    f 


■■; 


^Manitoba.  A  flng  sliowing  tlie  lette^rs  H.B.O.  in 
white  on  a  red  ground  was  the  mark  of  tlie  Hud- 
son Bay  Company  beiiii^  in  possession  of  the  fort. 
An  American  citizen  told  me  that  some  of  his 
countrymen  were  puzzled  when  they  saw  this  flag 
for  the  first  time.  One  of  their  number  thought 
he  had  solved  the  engima  of  the  three  letters  by 
saying  that  tliey  meant  "  Hero  before  Christ,"  as, 
from  the  appearance  of  the  country,  there  had  not 
been  any  change  since  then. 

Sixty  miles  intervene  between  the  frontier  and 
the  capital  of  the  Province.  There  is  very  little 
wood  left  along  this  part  of  the  river,  the  greater 
part  having  been  cleared  away  by  settlers  or  by 
speculators.  Farms  are  to  be  seen  at  short 
intervals;  the  crops  which  cover  the  ground  look 
exceedingly  well.  The  passengers  in  the  steamer 
experience  a  change  since  the  stream  has  run 
between  banks  denuded  of  timber — in  other  words, 
the  mosquitoes  have  ceased  from  troubling.  The 
only  insect  which  skims  the  surface  of  the  river 
and  which  fills  the  saloon  when  the  lamps  are  lit 
is  a  Avhite-winofed  one  called  a  "  miller."  I  have 
seen  these  insects  on  the  Rhine  in  the  autumn 
months,  but  I  never  saw  so  many  as  on  this  occa- 
sion. A  constant  stream  of  them  is  borne  along 
by  the  breeze  ;  it  has  the  appearance  of  a  bank  of 
snow.     The  glasses  of  the  steamer's  lanterns  are 


First  View  of  Winnipeg. 


195 


111 


•  and 
little 
•eater 
or  by 
short 
look 
amer 
run 
ords, 
Tlie 
river 
lire  lit 
have 
atumn 
occa- 
along 
auk  of 
as  are 


covered  with  these  insects ;  they  dash  against  the 
glass  and  then  fall  down  to  die  among  the  mass 
on  the  deck.  They  fill  pails  when  the  deck  is 
swept  in  the  morning.  Tliougli  they  obscure  the 
light,  they  give  no  other  annoyance,  and  they  are 
mere  objects  of  curiosity. 

The  fii'st  I  saw  of  Winnipeg  was  in  the  autumn 
of  1878.  Fort  Garry,  a  rectangular  building,  with 
a  turret  at  each  corner,  then  stood  where  the  Assi- 
niboine  enters  the  Red  River.  The  steamer  stopped 
a  few  minutes  to  land  passengers,  the  permanent 
landing-place  being  a  short  way  further  down  the 
river.  The  houses  which  form  the  city  have  a 
substantial  look  ;  the  villas  on  the  river's  bank  are 
tasteful  in  appearance.  On  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river  to  that  on  which  the  capital  stands  is  the 
parish  of  St.  Boniface,  with  its  cathedral,  the 
palace  of  Archbishop  Taclie,  its  college,  and  its 
convent.  When  Mr.  Whittier  was  here  a  quarter 
of  a  century  ago  the  journey  down  the  river  in  a 
canoe  seemed  to  him  a  wearisome  undertaking. 
He  wrote  a  poem  on  the  "  Red  River  Voyageur," 
which  opens  with  this  vivid  and  correct  descrip- 
tion of  the  river  itself: — 

Out  and  in  the  river  is  winfling 
The  links  of  its  long,  red  ohuia 

Thi'ougli  belts  of  dusky  pineluud. 
And  gusty  leagues  of  pliun. 

o  2 


i  ii 


ff 


1 96  On  the  Red  River  of  the  North, 

lie  depicts  the  *'voyngcnr,"  when  tired  and 
exhausted,  ivf^iiiiiinj^  liis  spirits  and  vi<^our  on 
hearing  tlie  chiine  of  tlie  bells  of  St.  Boniface. 
Then  the  poet,  as  his  manner  is,  ends  his  verses 
with  a  comparison  and  points  a  moral : — 

EvRn  so  in  our  mortal  journey 

The  bitter  north  wiiuls  blow, 
And  tlius  upon  life's  lied  IJivor 

Our  hearts,  as  oursinen,  row. 

And  when  the  Anj^el  of  Shadow 
Rt'J:ts  his  feet  on  wave  and  shoro, 

And  our  eyes  grow  dim  witli  watching 
And  our  hearts  iaint  at  the  oar, 

Happy  is  ho  who  heareth 

The  signal  of  his  release 
In  the  hells  of  the  Holy  City, 

The  chimes  of  eternal  "  peace." 


\:  \ 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE   CUT   OP   WINNIPEG. 

"WiNNirEG,  the  capital  of  Manitoba,  surprised  mo 
more  at  first  sight  than  any  one  of  the  countless 
cities  which  I  have  visited  on  the  North  American 
Continent.  Tlie  older  ones  frequently  surpassed 
my  utmost  expectations ;  the  youn<2fer  as  fre- 
quently fell  below  the  most  moderate  estimate 
wdiich  I  had  formed  of  them  in  imagination. 
Indeed,  a  pretentious  city  in  the  Far  West  is 
commonly  on  a  par,  in  external  appearance,  with 
a  paltry  village  elsewhere.  I  had  read  much 
about  Winnipeg  before  visiting  it,  and  the  im- 
pression left  on  my  mind  was  not  favourable. 
The  Earl  of  South(>sk,  who  was  here  in  1859, 
writes  that  "  there  were  houses  enough  to  form  a 
sort  of  scattered  town."  Lord  Milton  and  Dr. 
Cheadle,  who  followed  him  three  years  hiter,  saw 
nothing  worthy  of  note.  Captain  Butler,  who 
paid  it  a  visit  in  1870,  refers  to  it,  in  his  "  Great 


fit 

fm 


198 


The  City  of  Winnipeg, 


Loiio  LnTid,"  as  ''tlic  lilllo  villjic,^',"  ami  "  tlio 
iiiisiTiihle-lookiiii]^  villa^a'  of  AViinnpe<(."  I  kiujw 
that  cliangos  liad  boon  made  since  Caj)tain  Butler 
came  hither  on  duty  connected  with  tlio  Red 
River  expedition  under  Colonel  (now  Sir  Garnet) 
AV^olseley ;  but  I  was  not  prepared  to  find  that 
they  had  been  so  great  and  startling  as  those 
which  I  actually  beheld. 

Walking  down  ^Iain-street,  on  my  way  to  the 
PacifiG  Hotel,  1  could  hardly  realize  that  I  was 
in  a  city  incorporated  so  r^'cently  as  1873  and 
supposed  to  be  far  beyond  the  confines  of  civiliza- 
tion. The  street  is  1:]2  ft.  wide  and  it  is  lined 
with  shops,  churches,  and  public  buildings  which 
would  do  credit  to  a  much  older  and  more  famous 
place.  The  solid  look  of  the  majority  of  the 
edifices  is  as  noteworthy  as  their  ornamental 
design.  They  are  built  of  cream-coloured  brick. 
It  is  at  a  comparatively  late  stage  in  the  growth 
of  a  Avestern  citv,  either  in  the  United  States  or 
Canada,  that  the  buildings  are  composed  of  any- 
tliinix  but  wood  ;  hence,  a  strans2:er  in  one  of  them 
is  apt  to  arrive  at  the  conclusion  that  the  build- 
ings are  erected  for  a  temporary  purpose.  Here, 
however,  the  effect  is  the  reverse.  The  Town 
Hall  and  the  Market,  the  Post  Office,  the  Do- 
minion Land  Office,  and  the  Custom  House,  to 
name  but  a  few  of  the  public  edifices,  are  as  sub- 


iU 


Icrc, 
own 
Do- 
p,  to 
sub- 


i! 


o 


y. 

o 

u 

y, 
y. 


■w 


if 


■}■ 


i  ■       ?! 


Ijill 

fi! 


4JI 


University  of  Manitoba. 


199 


i^j 


stantial  biiildinofs  as  can  be  desired.  No  one 
looking  at  them  can  feel  here,  as  is  so  commonly 
felt  in  other  places  of  rapid  growth  on  this  conti- 
nent, that  the  citizens  apprehend  their  city  will 
decay  as  rapidly  as  it  has  sprung  up.  While  the 
progress  of  Winnipeg  is  one  of  the  marvels  of 
the  Western  world,  there  is  good  reason  for  be- 
lieving that  it  will  continue  at  an  accelerated  rate, 
and  that  Winnipeg  will  hereafter  hold  in  the 
Dominion  of  Canada  a  place  corresponding  with 
that  now  held  in  the  United  States  by  Chicago. 
In  1870  there  were  300  people  in  the  miserable- 
looking  village  of  those  days;  now,  the  popula- 
tion is  approaching  15,000.  There  are  eight} 
churches — one  belonging  to  the  Roman  Catholics, 
three  to  the  Episcopalians,  one  to  the  Prcoby- 
terians,  two  to  the  AVesleyan  Methodists,  and  one 
to  the  Baptists.  There  are  several  scliools  and 
colleges — two  common  schools,  St.  John's  College 
Schools,  for  boys  and  for  girls ;  a  Central  School ; 
St.  Mary's  Academy ;  Manitoba  College,  in  con- 
nexion with  the  Presbvterian  Church,  and  a  Wes- 
Icyan  Institute.  Most  remarkable  of  all,  if  not 
altogether  exceptional  among  seminaries  for  the 
advancement  and  diffusion  of  sound  learning,  is 
the  University  of  Manitoba.  It  grants  degrees 
in  arts,  sciences,  law,  and  medicine.  Its  govern- 
ing body  is  composed  of  representatives  of  re- 


■  J 


III 


n 


m< 


200 


The  City  of  Winnipeg, 


\ 


•liGfious  societies  which  have  not  succeeded  in 
working  harmoniously  for  a  common  end  in  other 
parts  either  of  the  Old  or  the  New  AVorld.  The 
colleges  affiliated  to  it  are  the  Episcopal  College 
of  St.  John,  the  Roman  Catholic  College  of  St. 
Boniface,  and  the  Presbyterian  College  of  Mani- 
toba. Others  may  and  are  expected  to  join  a 
University  which,  if  as  successful  as  it  deserves 
to  be,  will  become  a  model  for  other  places,  both 
on  the  North  American  continc  and  on  the  con- 
tinent of  Europe.  The  governing  body  consists 
of  a  Council,  composed  of  a  Chancellor  and  Vice- 
Chancellor,  representatives  of  each  college,  three 
representatives  elected'  by  the  graduates,  and  two 
representatives  of  the  Provincial  Board  of  Educa- 
tion. The  first  Chancellor  chosen  to  preside  over 
the  Council  is  the  Bishop  of  Rupert's  Land,  and 
the  Yice-Chancellor  is  the  Hon.  J.  Royal,  the 
Secretary  of  State  for  the  Province,  and  a  higbly- 
rcspected  member  of  the  Catholic  Church.  Pro- 
vision is  made  for  the  colleges  affiliated  to  the 
University  granting  theological  degrees.  No  ob- 
jection can  be  raised  to  this  by  the  most  advanced 
and  uncompromising  educational  reformer ;  in- 
deed, the  educational  reformer  would  be  hard  to 
please,  if  lie  were  not  satisfied  with  the  constitu- 
tion and  government  of  the  University  of  Mani- 
toba,    While  those  persons  merit  unstinted  praise 


Historical  and  Scientific  Society,  201 


I'd  to 
stitii- 
ilaiii- 
raise 


I 


who  have  worked  and  made  no  mean  sacrifices  to 
render  the  University  successful,  the  Legislature 
of  the  Province  is  equally  worthy  to  be  held  in 
honour  for  having  contributed  to  aid  the  experi- 
ment by  endowing  the  University.  Tims  nothing 
has  had  to  be  paid  by  the  colleges  which  are  now 
in  connexion  with  it,  nor  will  those  which  may 
hereafter  become  affiliated  to  it  have  to  provide 
any  funds. 

Another  institution  which  I  did  not  expect  to 
find  in  so  yonng  a  city  is  the  Histoi'ical  and 
Scientific  Society  of  Manitoba.  Though  it  has 
been  only  two  years  in  existence,  this  Society  has 
rendered  a.  service  to  the  Province  by  collecting 
its  records,  exploring  its  Indian  mounds  and 
collecting  specimens  wdierewntli  to  illustrate  its 
mineralogy  and  geology.  It  is  Viufortunate  that 
the  Society  could  not  persnade  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company  to  spare  old  Fort  Garry,  instead  of 
levelling  it  to  the  ground  and  using  the  stones  to 
form  the  foundation  of  a  new  store.  However, 
the  Company  have  wisely  presented  many  volumes 
of  records  to  the  Society's  library,  where  they 
will  be  safely  k(^pt,  and  accessible  for  study. 
Prom  a  personal  inspection  of  the  works  in  the 
library,  and  the  curiosities  in  the  museum,  I  can 
vouch  for  a  good  beginning  havmg  been  made, 
and  I  have  no  doubt  that,  if  the  members  continue 


\  ■  • 

!    .f 


f 


202 


The  City  of  Winnipeg, 


to  display  tlie  same  energy,  tlie  Historical  Society 
will  prove  of  infinite  advantage  to  the  inhabitants 
of  the  Canadian  Far  West. 

The  great  width  of  ]\Iain-street,  which  runs 
north  and  south,  adds  to  its  effect ;  Portage- 
avenue,  which,  like  it,  is  132  ft.  wide,  runs  west, 
and  is  an  important  thoroughfare  ;  Burrow's- 
avenue  is  99  ft.  wide;  and  the  other  streets  are 
G6  ft.  Indeed,  the  city  is  laid  out  with  an  eye  to 
its  future  increase  in  population.  This  is  spe- 
cially shown  in  the  care  which  has  been  taken  to 
secure  open  spaces,  which  will  prove  of  much 
benefit  when  the  area  is  more  thickly  covered 
with  buildings.  There  are  three  public  parks — 
Victoria,  Burrow's,  and  Mulligan  ;  the  first  covers 
eight  acres,  the  second  five,  and  the  third  three. 
There  is  a  race-course  and  a  rifle  range.  The 
young  men  take  delight  and  are  very  expert  in 
rifle-shooting,  their  ambition  being  to  obtain  a 
place  in  the  Canadian  team  which  pays  a  yearly 
visit  to  Wimbledon,  and  there  displays  a  vigorous 
and  fraternal  rivalry  with  the  volunteers  of  the 
United  Kingdom.  Several  tall  chimneys  in  diffe- 
rent parts  of  the  city  denote  the  presence  of 
manufactories.  I  learn  tliat  there  are  two  flour 
milks,  three  saw  m'ills,  and  four  planing  mills; 
that  there  is  a  carriage  factory,  a  biscuit  and  con- 
fectionery bakery,  a  distillery ;  and  that  there  is 


i 


PiibUc  Markets. 


20 


.") 


aree. 
The 
ert  in 
ain   a 
yearly 
orous 
If  tlie 
diffe- 
co  of 
flour 
uills  ; 
con- 
ere  is 


a  brewery  five  miles  distant,  wliere  the  liops  used 
in  combination  witli  malt  are  the  wild  hops  whieh 
abound  in  the  district  and  can  be  obtained  by  any 
one  who  chooses  to  gather  them.  Hotels  of 
various  classes  are  plentifully  provided  for  the 
entertainment  of  strangers,  the  Pacific  Hotel  and 
the  Queen's  being  the  two  best  and  largest.  The 
public-houses,  or  saloons  as  they  are  called 
throughout  the  West,  are  many  in  number ;  they 
are  undep  rigid  supervision  and  each  is  licensed. 
The  licence,  which  costs  $240  annually,  is  lial)le 
to  forfeiture  in  the  event  of  the  saloon  beins: 
badly  conducted. 

The  public  markets  I  found  well  supplied  with 
butcher's  meat,  poultry,  game,  fish,  and  vege- 
tables. The  fish  come  from  the  lakes  and  the 
rivers,  comprising  pike,  cat-fish,  gold  eyes  and 
white-fish.  I  have  always  thought  that  none 
but  persons  who  are  nearly  starving  can  really 
eat  pike  with  any  relish.  A  good  imitation  pike 
could  be  manufactured  out  of  white  blotting-paper 
with  small  pieces  of  fine  wire  interspersed ;  on 
being  cooked  the  taste  of  the  fish  would  bo  well 
reproduced  by  the  moist  blotting-paper,  while  the 
sensation  of  finding  a  sharp  bone  at  eacli  mcjuth- 
ful  would  be  periectly  rendered  by  the  sti'ay 
pieces  of  wire.  One  of  the  fish  on  the  bill  of  fare 
at  the  Pacific  Hotel  bore  the  name  of  lied  River 


n^ 


1  • 


iff 


r 


h' 


fi 


i  i 


M 


204 


T/ie  Cily  of  Winnipeg, 


salmon.  I  tasted  it  and  thought  it  delicious, 
tlioiigh  not  at  all  like  any  salmon  which  I  liad 
eaten.  It  was  quite  as  rich  as  salmon  and  had 
scarcely  any  bones,  resembling  a  lamprey  in  this 
respect  more  closely  than  any  fish  with  which 
I  am  acquainted.  A  travelling-companion  was 
quite  as  much  pleased  with  it  as  I  was.  Before 
eating  and  praising  it,  he  had  warned  me  against 
ever  eating  the  cat-fish,  which  he  had  seen  taken 
out  of  the  river,  and  of  which  he  disliked  the  look 
as  well  as  the  name.  He  was  rather  surprised  to 
learn  that  ho  had  heartily  enjoyed  and  commended 
cat-fish  under  the  name  of  Red  River  salmon. 

The  veofetables  for  sale  in  the  market  reminded 
me  of  stories  which  I  had  read  at  home  in  the 
months  of  autumn.  No  imaginative  writer  in  a 
country  newspaper  ever  penned  a  paragraph  about 
gigantic  vegetables  that  could  not  be  justified  by 
the  potatoes,  cabbages,  and  turnips  which  I  saw 
for  sale  here,  and  others  whicli  1  have  seen  se- 
lected for  exhibition.  It  is  a  common  thing  for 
potatoes  to  weigh  2  lbs.  each  and  turnips  20  lbs. 
and  for  them  to  be  as  good  as  they  are  heavy.  A 
squash  has  been  produced  weighing  138  lbs.  and 
a  veQ:ctable  marrow  26.  Cabba^'es  measurinof 
4  feet  8  inches  and  5  feefc  1  inch  in  circumference 
have  excited  the  astonishment  of  other  visitors  as 
well  as  my  own,  while  a  cucumber,  grown  in  the 


Fruit  and  Floivcrs, 


205 


open  air  and  measuring  G  feet  3  inches  in  lengtli, 
was  riglitly  considered  a  curiosity.  The  disphiy 
of  fruit  was  not  equal  to  that  of  vegetables,  the 
culture  of  fruit  havino:  been  neodected  owintif  to 
the  supply  of  wihl  fruit  being  so  varied  and 
abundant.  Experiments  made  in  growing  apples 
having  proved  successful,  the  gardens  here  will 
soon  be  filled  with  fruit-bcarin2C  trees.  Yet  it  is 
not  wonderful  that  the  early  settlers  should  have 
been  satisfied  with  what  Nature  has  provided  for 
them,  seeing  that  they  had  notliing  to  do  but 
gather  and  consume  an  abundance  of  wild  plums, 
grapes,  strawberries,  curraTits,  red  and  black 
raspberries,  cherries,  blueberries,  whortleberries, 
marsh  and  high  bush  cranberries.  If  the  settlers 
have  not  busied  themselves  about  the  culture  of 
fruit,  they  have  not  neglected  the  culture  of 
flowers.  The  little  gardens  which  adorn  the 
fronts  of  the  houses  are  filled  with  roses,  mig- 
nonette, and  other  flow^ers  dear  to  English  eyes. 
Never  have  I  seen  flowers  with  more  brilliant 
tints  than  those  of  jManitoba,  and  the  brightness 
of  their  colours  is  in  keeping  with  the  strengtb 
and  sweetness  of  their  perfume. 

An  enumeration  of  the  principal  sights  in  the 
streets  of  Wiiuiipeg  would  be  incomplete  if  I 
omitted  to  mention  that  it  contains  many  stores 
which   for  size   and   variety   of  the  goods    kept 


Irr?" 


206 


The  City  of  Winnipeg. 


!   ! 


!l 


I 


would  do  credit  to  any  city,  as  well  as  several 
baukiiii^-liou.ses,  which  have  not  only  a  solid  look 
as  buildings,  but  wliich  enjoy  the  reputation  of 
beino:  sound  financial  establishments.  First  there 
is  the  Post-office  Savings-bank,  where  depositors 
receive  interest  at  the  rate  of  4  per  cent.,  with 
the  advantage  of  perfect  security ;  secondly,  there 
are  branches  of  the  Merchants'  Barik  of  Canada, 
of  the  Ontario  Bank,  and  of  the  Bank  of  Montreal. 
In  the  newest  western  cities  it  is  customary  to 
find  churches  and  schools,  manufactories  and 
markets,  shops  and  banks;  but  I  think  no 
other  city  than  Winnipeg  has  ever  been  able 
to  boast  of  a  club-house  at  so  early  a  stage  of  its 
existence.  The  Manitoba  Club  was  founded  in 
1874 — that  is,  one  year  after  the  incorporation  of 
the  city.  The  club-house  in  Main-street  presents 
a  neat  appearance  externally,  while  its  internal 
arrangements  are  as  comfortable  as  the  most 
fastidious  person  could  expect.  Its  members 
number  about  80.  I  can  write  with  the  greater 
confidence  in  praise  of  the  Manitoba  Club,  because 
I  had  the  gratification  of  being  made  an  honorary 
member  of  it  and  of  enjoying  its  advantages. 
Though  acquainted  with  many  clubs,  I  know  of 
few  wherein  dinners  are  sup})lied  of  equal  quality 
at  so  moderate  a  charge  as  in  the  Manitoba  Club. 
I  found  that  the  members  enjoyed  some  articles  of 


A  yotirnalistic  Experiment. 


207 


iges. 


food  wliicli  would  be  accounted  startling  novelties 
in  any  English  club,  among  thera  being  stuigeon, 
an  excellent  fish,  and  roast  bear,  a  tender  nnd 
finely  flavoured  meat.  I  was  more  struck  with 
this  club  than  with  tlio  fact  that  ^Yinnipeg  pos- 
sesses two  excellent  dnily  newspapers,  the  ^lnul- 
ioha  Free  Ptn^fi  and  the  Dalhj  Tiiiirs.  A  club- 
house is  regarded  as  a  luxury  in  the  Far  AVest, 
whereas  a  newspaper  is  held  to  be  a  necessary  of 
life.  In  the  town  of  Selkirk,  twenty  miles  farther 
north,  the  few  inhabitants  decided  that  they  must 
have  a  newspaper,  and,  as  there  was  no  printing- 
press  in  the  town,  the  difficulty  to  be  overcome 
was  considerable.  They  agreed  among  them- 
selves to  pay  a  sum  of  $500  to  the  founder  of  a 
weekly  newspaper  in  Selkirk,  and  they  advertised 
this  offer,  adding  that  a  circnLition  of  400  copies, 
at  $2  each,  Avas  guaranteed  for  a  year.  The 
result  was  that  an  enterprising  gentleman  started 
from  the  older  part  of  Canada  with  a  printing- 
press,  and  became  printer,  editor,  and  newspaper 
proprietor  in  Selkirk.  The  experiment  was  not 
successful;  the  Aveekly  jonrnal  lived  a  year  when 
it  ceased  to  appear  and  a  monthly  magazine  was 
issued  in  tlie  hope  that  the  reading  public  would 
give  it  the  support  which  luid  been  denied  to  the 
weeklv  venture. 

Before  crossing  the  Red  River  and  describing 


'(?■ 


;(    i 


m 


m'  w 


I 


'■  ! 

i  < 

i  { 
\  « 

I 


J  1 


I 


20S 


T/ii:  Ci/y  of  Winnipeg, 


tlio  tliriving  siibui'b  of  St.  Boniface,  I  mnstdovote 
a  few  sentences  to  tlie  Coin[)iiny  which  was  onco 
snpreme  and  wliicli  is  still  a  ptnver  in  Winni[)eg. 
There  was  a  time  not  very  long  ago  when  no  per- 
son conld  bny,  sell,  or  reside  here  withont  leave 
from  the  Governor  of  Assineboia,  the  old  name 
for  this  Province.  'J'ho  Hudson  Bay  Company 
had  tlien  an  actual  monopoly  of  the  country  and 
exercised  an  exclusive  jurisdiction  over  it.  It 
had  not  been  disputed  in  a  court  of  law  that  the 
charter  conferred  on  the  Company  by  Charles  II. 
gave  them  all  the  authority  to  which  they  laid 
claim,  neither  could  it  be  denied  that  the  attempt 
to  keep  a  fertile  region  vaster  than  Europe  as  the 
hunting-ground  of  savages  and  a  breeding-place 
for  wild  beasts,  Avas  opposed  to  the  spirit  of  tlie 
age.  The  monopoly  ended  in  1860,  when  the 
Company  surrendered  its  claims  to  Canada  in 
return  for  300,000/.  in  cash,  the  retention  of  land 
round  the  trading-stations  estimated  at  50,000 
acres,  and  of  one-twentieth  part  of  the  remainder 
of  the  land.  Thus  the  Hudson  Bay  Company 
became  the  largest  possessor  of  landed  propei  ty 
in  the  w^orld. 

In  past  times  no  company  could  well  be  more 
prosperous  than  this  one;  the  proprietors  received 
enormous  returns  for  their  investments ;  the  divi- 
dends  were   sometimes  as  high  as  300  per  cent. 


TJic  Hudson  Bay  Company. 


209 


moro 

leived 

divi- 

cent. 


Not  even  tlie  East  India  C()ni]):niy  in  its  palmiest 
day  was  a  greater  financial  snccess  than  this  great 
fur  company  of  the  North- AVest.     And  just  as  the 
East  India  Company  had  among  its  servants  Tnen 
of  genius  like  Clive  and  Hastings,  so  was  the  Hud- 
son Bay  Company  served  by  men  whoso   ability 
was   not   inferior  to  that  of  the  conquerors  and 
rulers  of  the  East.  The  factors  who  conducted  the 
Company's  trade  were  proud  of  their  position  and 
did  their  utmost  to  uphold  it.     Once  a  year  they 
met  at  Norway-house,  reviewed  the  operations  of 
the  previous  year,  planned  those  of  the  following 
year,  and  carefully  scrutinized  each  other's  per- 
formances.    The  factor  who  had  been  weiglied  in 
the  balance  and  found  wanting  was  excluded  from 
acting  with   his    colleagues.     Indeed,  merit   was 
then  the    indispensable  qualification  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  a  Hudson  Bay  Company's  servant. 
In  treating  the  Indians  of  the   North- West,  the 
policy  of  that  Company   has  been  both  humane 
and  exemplary.     No  one,  indeed,  who  has  studied 
the   subject  and  who   has  had  the  good   fortune 
to    enjoy    the    acquaintance    of   the   pioneers    of 
civilization  in   the   North-West  can  refrain  from 
praising  tlie   servants  of  the  Hudson   Bay  Com- 
pany in  the  strongest  terms.     Though  that  Com- 
pany is  as  ably  served  as  of  old,  yet  its  excep- 
tional prosperity  is  a  thing   of   the  past.     The 


■('■ 


1^ 


2IO 


The  City  of  Winnipeg. 


fur   trade   must    dwindle   in    importance  as   tlie 
settlors    cover    tlie    region    where    the    desultoiy 
efforts  of  wikl  Indians  to  kill  wild  animals  alone 
checked  their  multiplication.     'J^he  Company  must 
look  lor  ils  future  profits  from  the  sale  of  land. 
It  is  difficult  for  any  body  which  has  certain  tradi- 
tions, and  which  has  prospered  by  observing  them, 
to  forget  them  altogether  and  begin  an  entirely 
new  career,  and  this  is  the  difficulty  with  which 
the  Hudson  ]]ay  Company  have  been  confronted. 
Fort  Garry,  the  original  post  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company,  was  at  the  southern  end  of  Main- 
Btreet.      A  large  store  adjoins  it,  in  which  all  the 
articles    can    be    purchased    which   are   required 
entlier  by  the  simple  savage  or  the  exacting  white 
man.     Next  to  the  store  is  the  Governor's  resi- 
dence, now  occupied  by  the  Lieutenant-Governor 
of   the    Province.     Formerly  this  store  was  the 
only  place  where  the  Red  River  settlers,  for  several 
miles  round  Fort  Garry,  could  make  purchases,  or 
where  tLc}'^  could  dispose  of  their  produce.     Even 
now  the  articles  sold  here  are  as  good  and  quite 
as   cheap  as  in  the  "Winnipeg  shops  ;  in  making 
this  statement,  I  do  so  from  experience,  having 
been  a  customer  both  to  the  store  and  to  some  of 
the   shops.     Now,  if  the  Company  desired   that 
their  store  should  be  able  to  cope  most  thoroughly 
with  rival  establishments  the  obvious  course  was  to 


3   tlie 

iiltory 
alono 

I  must 

I  lanel. 
tnidi- 

;  tlu-'iri, 

ntirely 
which 

oiitcd. 

ludson 
Main- 
all  the 

cquired 
white 
s  rcsi- 
vernor 
as  tliG 
several 
ases,  or 
Even 
d  quite 
Imaking 
having 
lome  of 
)d   that 
^oughly 
was  to 


Mr.  Byydgcs» 


21  I 


promoto  settlement  in  its  vicinity.  This  was  not 
done  ;  on  the  contrary,  the  chief  business  part  of 
the  city  was  driven  northward.  Five  hundred 
acres  of  land  at  Fort  Garry  remained  the  property 
of  the  Company  at  tlie  transfer  of  its  dominion  to 
Canada  in  18G9.  Instead  of  selHng  tliis  land  to 
the  highest  bidder,  a  price  was  set  on  it  far  in 
excess  of  the  sum  for  which  land  equally  good 
could  be  boug^ht  elsewhere.  Hence  it  is  that, 
instead  of  the  neighbourliood  of  tlie  Fort  and 
store  being  covered  with  dwellings,  it  lay  waste, 
while  dwellings  covered  the  opposite  end  of  Main- 
street,  nearly  two  miles  distant. 

A  change  has  taken  ulace  in  the  conduct  of  tlio 
Company's  business  which  is  likely  to  redeem  all 
the  errors  once  committed.  j\lr.  Brydges,  who 
had  been  Manager  of  the  Grand  Trunk  and  Super- 
intendent of  the  Intercolonial  Railway,  was  ap- 
pointed Commissioner  for  the  sale  of  the  Company's 
land.  He  has  brought  his  large  business-know- 
ledge and  tact  to  bear  upon  the  matter  with  the 
best  results.  There  are  still  changes  to  be 
effected  in  the  management  of  the  Company's 
affairs  before  they  can  be  said  to  be  conducted  in 
the  most  efficient  manner.  Nevertlioless,  so  much 
has  been  done  in  the  riij^ht  direction  that  the 
financial  success  of  the  Company  ought  to  be  far 
greater  in  the  future  than  in  recent  years.  About 

p  2 


U 


SI' 


r 


t^am 


1 

i- 

212 


City  of  Winnipeg. 


' 

liMii 

1 ' 

1 

lii 

A<» 

the  vnliic  of  tlieir  property  there  can  be  no  ques- 
tion. To  use  a  phrase  coiniuoii  in  the  United 
States,  "  there  are  niilHons  in  it."  But  prudent 
management  both  in  Lonrlon  and  Winnipeg  is 
required  to  extract  the  millions  from  it. 


II. 

It  is  time,  for  tlie  sake  of  variety,  to  pass  across 
the  river  to  the  interesting  suburb  of  this  city.    A 
few  minutes  spent  in  a  ferry-boat,  and  then  the 
passenger  sets  foot  in  St.  Boniface.     Tlie  cliange 
between  any  part  of  the  Englisli  and  French  coast 
is  very  great ;  crossing  the  Straits  of  Dover  and 
landinof  in   France  is  like  enterino;'  a  new  world. 
]\luch  the  same  effect   is  produced  on   liim  who 
leaves  Ottawa,  passes  through  the  suburb  of  Edin- 
bunxh,  crosses  the  river,  and  enters  Hull.     This  is 
not  only  a  cliange  from  the  Province  of  Ontario 
to  that  of  Quebec,  but  it  is  also  a  change  from  an 
English  to  a  French  speaking  locality.     Such  a 
contrast    may    also    be    perceived,    both    in    the 
oldest  and  youngest  States  in  the  North  American 
Union.    When  the  river  is  crossed  which  separates 
New   York  from   Iloboken,   one   passes  from  an 
English  to  a  German  speaking  city  ;  indeed,  there 
are  shops  in  Hoboken  where  German  is  under- 


! 
i 


i 


QO  qucs- 

3  United 

prudent 

inipeg    is 


ass  across 
is  city.    A 
[  then  the 
10  cliange 
Diicli  coast 
r)over  and 
lew  world, 
liini  wlio 
b  of  Edin- 
l.     This  is 
)f  Ontario 
re  from  an 
Such  a 
h    in   the 
American 
1  separates 
from  an 
leed, there 
is  under- 


'.S 


I 


in 


ir. 

< 

C 
u: 
a. 

'A 


i      i 


I 


S/.  Boniface. 


213 


stood  better  than  Engflisli.  In  Cbicnffo  and  Mil- 
waukee  there  are  quarters  where  German  is  the 
prevailing  speech,  and  in  St.  Paul  there  are 
quarters  where  Norse  is  the  only  tongue  fluently 
spoken.  But  none  of  these  cases  is  so  curious  as 
that  of  St.  Boniface.  In  the  cities  of  the  United 
States,  though  the  people  may  speak  a  foreign 
tongue,  there  is  yet  no  external  token  of  the  popu- 
lation being  foreign.  On  the  western  side  of  tha 
Red  River,  the  wayfarer  wdio  looks  at  the  street- 
corners  sees  such  truly  British  names  as  Alfred, 
Gladstone,  and  Macfarlane  ;  on  the  eastern  side  he 
sees  Rue  St.  Boniface,  Rue  St.  Joseph,  Rue  du 
Moulin,  while  he  hears  the  passers-by  converse  in 
the  French  lanornaGfe.  It  is  not  so  much  the  fact 
that  French  is  spoken,  as  that  everything  looks  so 
French  which  renders  this  suburb  of  the  city  of 
Winnipeg  unlike  any  other  wliich  I  have  seen  in 
any  city  on  the  continent  of  North  America  or  of 
Europe. 

The  settlement  of  French  half-breeds  at  St. 
Boniface  dates  from  the  year  1818.  Since  then  it 
has  been  the  Roman  Catholic  mission  centre  of  the 
North- West.  Bishop  Provenchc^r  laboured  here  as 
a  priest  from  1818  till  his  death  as  bishop  in  1853. 
His  successor,  Archbishop  Tache,  has  spent  the 
greater  part  of  a  long  life  as  a  missioneiy  priest 
among   the    Indians.     Archbishop    Tache's  work 


'm 


i 

'  , 

1 

i.    1 

214 


T/ie  City  oj  Winnipeg. 


entitled  "  Twenty  Years  of  Missions  in  the  North- 
West  of  America "  is  not  only  an  interesting 
record  of  personal  experience,  but  till  recently  it 
lias  been  the  only  trustworthy  guide  to  that 
obscure  region.  He  is  very  popular,  and  his  great 
authority  over  the  Half-Breeds  and  the  Indians  is 
exercised  with  much  discretion.  He  chiefly  con- 
tributed to  allay  the  irritation  which  occasioned 
and  succeeded  the  rebellion  headed  by  Louis  Riel ; 
and,  though  he  "was  said  to  have  rather  strained 
his  powers  as  a  mediator  by  promising  an  absolu- 
tion to  the  rebel  leaders  which  the  Canadian 
Government  did  not  intend  to  accord,  yet  he  un- 
questionably acted  in  good  faith  and  with  a  suc- 
cess proving  that  his  interpretation  of  the  mission 
which  he  undertook  was  justified  by  events. 

The  most  conspicuous  buildings  in  the  suburb 
of  St.  Boniface  are  connected  with  the  church  of 
which  Archbishop  Tache  is  a  worthy  representa- 
tive. First  in  importance  is  the  Cathedral,  a  stone 
building  in  simple  Gothic  style,  and  one  of  the 
best  edifices  of  the  kind  in  the  North- West.  Its 
organ  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  country ;  it  was 
a  gift  to  the  Archbishop  from  his  friends  in 
Quebec  on  the  25th  anniversary  of  his  accession  to 
episcopal  rank.  The  interior  of  the  Cathedral 
is  principally  remarkable  for  the  absence  of  the 
tawdry  decorations  which  so  often  offend  the  eye 


\k  I 


Archbishop  Tachd, 


215 


[ortli- 
G  sting 
itly  it 
»   that 
;  great 
ians  is 
y  con- 
sioned 
;  Kiel ; 
rained 
J:)Solu- 
naclian 
lie  im- 
a  suc- 
fiission 

mburb 

Lrcli  of 

;senta- 

stone 

of  the 

Its 

lit  Avas 

ids   ill 

sion  to 

bedral 

►f  the 

Lie  eye 


in  such  places.  The  Archbishop's  palace  is  close 
to  tlie  Cathedral,  and  is  also  built  of  stone.  It  is 
a  plain,  comfortable  dwelling-place,  with  a  well- 
kept  garden  in  front,  filled  with  flowering  plants 
and  trees.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  conversing  with 
the  Archbishop  and  of  learning  his  views  with 
regard  to  the  settlement  of  the  country.  He  has 
that  polish  of  manner  which  seems  to  be  the 
inheritance  of  most  persons  whose  mother-tongue 
is  French.  Thouo-h  no  lonorer  younff  and  thoui'h 
much  of  his  life  has  been  passed  among  hardships 
which  render  a  man  old  before  his  time,  yet  he  has 
the  look  of  a  man  much  younger  than  his  years. 
He  is  a  living  witness  to  the  salubrity  of  the 
climate,  having  been  here  upwards  of  30  years  ; 
his  predecessor.  Bishop  Provencher,  lived  long 
enough  to  show  that  residence  near  the  Red  River 
was  conducive  to  longevity. 

Archbishop  Tache  has  a  strong  faith  in  the 
progress  of  this  region  of  the  country  and  in  its 
adaptability  for  settlement.  Some  parts  further 
westward  he  considers  too  poor  for  cultivation, 
but  he  admits  there  is  ample  space  and  attraction, 
for  millions  to  take  up  their  abodes  and  pi'osper. 
The  task  of  civilizing  the  Indians  he  holds  to  be 
much  less  difficult  than  is  commonly  supposed, 
and  the  success  which  the  missionaries  of  his 
Church  have  had  among  the  Indian  tribes  between 


..iiiii 


■  I  ' 

1 

i 

h 

TJlc  City  of  Winnipeg, 


the  Red  River  and  the  Rocky  Mountains  is  strongly 
in  favour  of  the  sanguine  views  entertained  by  the 
Archbishop.  His  own  exertions  to  promote  edu- 
cation are  worthy  of  high  praise  and  have  yielded 
good  fruit.  Several  educational  and  charitable 
institutions  over  which  he  exercises  supervision 
are  within  a  short  distance  of  his  palace.  First 
there  is  the  College  of  St.  Boniface,  where  the 
students  number  between  00  and  70  ;  secondly, 
there  is  St.  Boniface  Academy  for  the  education 
of  girls,  where  the  teachers  are  Sisters  of  Charity ; 
thirdly,  there  is  the  Convent  of  St.  Boniface,  where 
orphans  and  destitute  old  women  are  cared  for  and 
supported  by  the  Sisters  ;  and,  fourthly,  there  is 
a  hospital  in  connexion  with  the  convent  for  the 
relief  of  the  sick.  Having  read  some  extracts 
from  the  pastoral  letter  issued  by  Archbishop 
Tache  at  the  time  of  the  last  general  election  in 
Canada,  I  was  desirous  of  seeing  the  document 
itself,  and,  on  stating  this,  the  Archbishop  kindly 
presented  a  copy  to  me.  I  shall  translate  a  few 
passages  from  it  in  order  to  show  the  kind  of 
advice  which  is  given  to  electors  by  this  excellent 
representative  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  the 
Canadian  West.  • 

He  begins  by  claiming  for  priests,  as  citizens, 
the  duty  to  take  part  in  elections  and  the  right  to 
do  so  in  virtue  of  their  education  and  sacred  office. 


i  ■ 


Advice  to  Electors. 


217 


■ongly 
by  tbe 
B  edu- 
ielded 
ritable 
:'vision 
First 
re   tbe 
jondly, 
ication 
harity ; 
,  where 
for  and 
there  is 
'or   tbe 
xtracts 
ibisbop 
tion  in 
iciiment 
kindly 
e  a  few 
ind  of 
cellent 
in   tbe 

litizens, 
[igbt  to 
office. 


He  sets  forth  tbe  importance  of  the  elections  on 
account  of  tbe  results  wbich  may  follow,  and  tbe 
necessity  of  having  a  well-constituted  Legislature. 
He  insists  on  tbe  value  of  every  vote  in  a  Legisla- 
tive Assembly,  seeing  tbat  a  single  vote  may  turn 
tbe  scale  for  good  or  evil,  and  be  contends  tbat 
tbis  consideration  ougbt  to  be  borne  in  mind 
in  choosing  representatives.  He  controverts  tbe 
generally  prevailing  view  tbat  any  man  is  fitted 
to  be  a  legislator,  saying  tbat  to  represent  one's 
fellow-countrymen,  to  undertake  tbe  preservation 
of  the  interests  of  one's  country,  and  to  become  a 
legislator  are  such  very  difficult  and  important 
duties  that  one  is  often  surprised  at  tbe  ease  with 
which  certain  persons  set  up  as  candidates  and 
solicit  tbe  votes  of  electors.  A  proper  candidate 
ougbt  to  possess  common  sense,  a  thing  which  tbe 
Archbishop  holds  to  be  rarer  tban  is  commonly 
supposed,  and  of  whicb  tbe  absence  is  almost  in- 
variably marked  by  ignorance  of  tbe  precept  there 
is  *'  a  time  to  keep  silence,"  adding,  *'  Discretion 
in  speech  is  so  cbaractistic  of  prudence  that  we 
are  assured  in  Solomon's  Proverbs  that  even  a 
fool  wben  be  boldetb  bis  peace  is  counted  wise, 
and  be  tbat  sbuttetb  bis  lips  is  esteemed  a  man  of 
understanding."  He  tbiiiks  it  imperative  tbat  a 
good  member  of  Parliament  should  be  a  well- 
instructed  man,  *'  it  being  possible  to  be  a  worthy 


1 


IN 


'^K 

1     ' 

1 

m 

1 

''.  f 

''i  ' 

B 

m  ' 

B 

■  i  1 

B 

■  ^  f 

2l8 


T/ic  City  of  W'innipcg. 


man  witliout  instrnotion,biit  not  a  good  legislator." 
Equally  necessary  is  it  to  be  an  honest  man,  to  be 
received  in  good  society,  to  be  sober  and  God- 
fearing in  order  to  merit  being  sent  to  Parliament. 
The  Archbishop  remarks  that  these  considerations 
prove  that  the  requisite  Parliamentary  qualifica- 
tions are  not  possessed  by  all  men,  and  then  he 
goes  on^o  show  what  are  the  duties  incumbent  on 
electors.  The  first  is  to  pray  for  enlightenment, 
the  second  to  consult  wise  and  discreet  persons,  to 
avoid  being  influenced  by  passion  or  personal  in- 
terest, to  widen  the  sphere  of  their  contemplation, 
and  to  consider  the  public  weal.  He  warns  them 
against  the  curses  of  elections,  which  are  lying, 
drunkenness,  venality,  and  violence,  and  he 
implores  them  to  allow  the  result  to  be  achieved  in 
opposition  to  their  wishes  rather  than  to  gain  an 
electoral  triumph  through  perjury,  calumny,  or 
falsehood.  He  denounces  bribery  as  a  crime 
which  stains  both  parties,  both  the  briber  and  the 
bribed  being  bad  citizens,  traitors  to  duty  and 
honour.  He  styles  a  member  who  owes  his 
el(}ction  to  corruption  as  an  intruder  in  Parliament. 
He  charges  the  electors  not  to  commit  any  acts  of 
violence  and  to  refrain  from  cojjying  the  bad 
example  in  this  respect  which  had  been  set  else- 
where, adding,  "  Above  all  show  yourselves 
Christians,  and  you  cannot  fail  to  be  good  citizens." 


M; 


A  French  Nczvspapcr. 


219 


tor." 

to  be 

God- 

ment. 

itions 

lifica- 

leii  lie 

ent  on 

inient, 

ons,  to 

nal  in- 

)lalion, 

s  tliem 

)  lying, 

,nd    lie 

eved  in 
ain  an 
ly,  or 
crime 
ind  tlie 

Ity  and 
'es   liis 
lament, 
acts  of 
Ihe   bad 
let  else- 
irselvcs 
Itizens.'* 


He  concludes  by  forbidding  the  holding  of  political 
meetings  at  the  church  doors  on  Sunihiys  and  by 
desiring  that  such  gatherings  should  be  held  on 
weekdays  only.  The  foregoing  summary  of  this 
pastoral  letter  not  only  shows  the  opinions  which 
the  Archbishop  inculcates,  but  it  justifies  me  in 
assertinof  that  if  other  di<]:nitaries  of  his  Church 
displayed  the  same  tact  and  good  taste  there 
would  never  be  any  cause  for  protesting  against 
priestly  interference  at  elections. 

Before  leaving  St.  Boniface,  I  must  note  that 
this  suburb  of  Winnipeg  promises  to  thrive  even 
better  in  the  future  than  it  has  hitlierto  done. 
The  terminus  of  the  Pembina  branch  of  the  St. 
Paul  and  Pacific  Eallway  is  here,  and  this  has 
given  an  impetus  to  building.  A  newspaper  in 
French,  called  Le  Metis,  is  published  weekly.  It 
is  the  only  French  journal  published  in  the  Cana- 
dian North-West  and  taking  cognizance  of  the 
wishes  and  wants  of  the  large  class  there  which 
preserves  the  use  of  the  French  language.  There 
is  no  part  of  Canada  where  speech  is  more  diver- 
sified than  in  the  Province  of  Manitoba,  nor  is 
there  any  in  which  the  ordinary  routine  of 
existence  is  more  varied. 


)'[': 


mm 


n 


i    ? 


I 


1  f 

li 

k 

CHAPTER  X. 

THE    PliOVI.NCE    OF    MANITODA. 

The  surprise  which  I  felt  on  first  walking  along 
the  streets  of  Winnipeg  and  seeing  so  many 
tokens  of  progress  and  civilization  was  increased 
when  I  journeyed  through  the  Province  of  which 
Winnipeg  is  the  capital.  I  had  read  that  the 
country  was  totally  unfit  for  settlement.  I  had 
read  that  it  was  pre-eminently  adapted  for 
farming  and  that  no  other  part  of  the  Continent 
was  a  more  desirable  place  of  abode.  Indeed, 
few  regions  of  the  world  have  been  the  subjects 
of  greater  controversy  than  Manitoba,  the  Prairie 
Province  of  Canada.  It  has  had  many  indiscreet 
eulogists  and  as  mauy  unscrupulous  defamers. 
If  the  former  are  right,  the  Province  must  be  an 
Earthly  Paradise;  if  the  latter  set  forth  the 
whole  truth,  it  must  be  the  counterpart  of  Dante's 
Inferno.  Though  the  discussion  as  to  the  ad- 
vantages  or   drawbacks  of  this  place  has  been 


IHi 


Opiiiiofjs  about  the  Region. 


221 


along 
mary 
reased 
Avliich. 
at  the 
I  had 
d    for 
itinent 
ndeed, 
ibjects 
rairie 
Iscreet 
traers. 
be  an 
h    the 
ante's 
e  ad- 
been 


specially  keen  and  persistent  of  late  years,  yet  the 
difforonco  of  o[)inio?i  conceruini^  it  is  of  old  date. 
Since  the  Hudson  ]3ay  Company  received  tlieir 
charter  from  Charles  the  Second  in  1()70,  doubts 
have  been  expressed  and  nncertainty  has  pre- 
vailed as  to  the  character  of  the  region  ont  of 
"which  this  Province  has  been  carved.  The 
matter  was  carefully  investig'ated  by  a  Select 
Committee  of  tlie  House  of  Commons  in  1 749 
and  again  in  1857.  Mr.  Gladstone  was  a  member 
of  the  Committee  which  sat  in  1807  and  he  was 
not  so  readv  as  some  of  his  colleagues  to  conclude 
that  the  officers  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company 
were  justified  in  maintaining  that  tlie  entire 
Canadian  North  West. was  unsuited  for  settlers 
and  had  been  evidently  designed  by  Providence 
to  be  a  perpetual  breeding-gi'ound  of  wild  beasts 
and  a  consrenial  habitation  for  wild  Indians. 

Sir  George  Simpson,  who  had  been  Governor 
of  the  Hndson  Bay  Company's  territory  during 
thirty-seven  years  and  who  had  traversed  every 
part  of  it,  emphaticallv  assured  the  Committee 
that  the  region  now  known  as  Manitoba  was 
cursed  with  a  poor  soil,  a  variable  and  inhos- 
pitable climate  and  disastrous  and  frequent 
inundations.  The  Right  Hon.  Edward  Ellice, 
speaking  on  behalf  of  the  governing  body  of  the 
Company  in  England,  confidently  asserted  that 


1 

I 


Hi 


222 


The  Province  of  Manitoba, 


■\ 

K 

1 

1 

tlio  TJod  River  district  was  no  place  for  settlers 
and  that  tlie  State  of  Miniieso^*^  now  so  prospe- 
rous, was  no  place  for  tlieni  .^ncr.  Sir  Jolin 
Ilicliardson,  tlie  famous  Arctic  explorer,  agreed 
witli  the  ofHcers  of  tlie  Company  in  pronouncing 
the  land  utterly  worthless  for  settlement;  and  ho 
declared  that  he  could  not  understand  why  any 
one  should  go  thither  except  to  prosecute  the  fur 
trade.  He  made  a  statement  which  caused  an 
impression  on  his  liearers  but  which  seems  very 
strange  to  me.  It  was  to  the  effect  that  the  vino 
does  not  grow  naturally  on  the  ^ortli  American 
Continent  to  the  north  of  43  dt  is  of  latitude. 
Now,  I  have  eaten  and  plucked  grapes  on  the 
banks  of  the  Hed  Riv^er  to  the  north  of  the  49th 
parallel  of  latitude,  and  I  have  drunk  wine  made 
from  wild  grapes  grown  on  the  Assiniboine  River 
at  the  50th  parallel.  When  men  of  experience 
and  eminence  like  Mr.  Eilice  and  Sir  John 
Richardson  made  such  extraordinary  mistakes  as 
to  matters  of  fact  relating  to  this  part  of  the 
country,  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  if  they 
grievously  erred  in  matters  of  opinion.  In  truth, 
many  of  the  facts  and  opinions  current  about 
Manitoba  have  been  either  palpable  ficlions,  or 
absurd  blunders. 

The  Province  of  ]\Janitoba  occupies  the  centre 
of    North    America,  being  equidistant  from  the 


Extent  of  tJ:c  Province, 


223 


)f  the 
they 


centre 
the 


pole  and  the  cqnntor,  tho  Atlantic  nnd  Pacific 
oceans.  Its  area  when  foi'inod  into  a  Province  was 
14,;3IO  square  raik^s;  since  then  its  bounihiries 
have  been  extended  and  it  now  covers  120,000 
square  railes.  In  Canada  tlie  Pr>vinces  of 
Quebec  and  British  Cobimbia  are  tht  o'dy  two 
coverinGf  a  hirjjer  area  than  ]\lanitot)a,  whde  in  tlio 
Union  two  States  only,  Texas  and  California,  are 
vaster  than  it.  Yet  ^lanitoba  covers  but  a 
fraction  of  the  Canadian  Far  AVest,  tlierc  bein*^ 
ample  space  i  licrein  out  of  wliich  to  carve  fifteen 
other  Provinces  of  the  like  extent.  Its  peculi- 
arity and  advantage  consist  in  the  fact  that 
settlement  there  is  of  an  old  enough  date  to 
enable  its  capacity  for  producing  food  and 
affording  pleasant  homes  to  the  landless  to  havo 
been  thoroughly  tested.  When  I  visited  it  in 
1878  for  the  first  time  the  novelty  of  the  scene 
fell  short  of  my  expectation.  I  had  been  accus- 
tomed, in  common  with  many  other  persons,  to 
regard  it  not  only  as  outlandish  and  inaccessible, 
but  as  a  region  where  life  must  be  spent  under 
even  less  favourable  conditions  than  in  those 
remote  parts  of  the  Far  West  with  which  I  was 
acquainted.  With  a  feeling  of  amazement,  then, 
I  discovered  throughout  Manitoba  innumerable 
indications  of  a  long-settled  and  well-governed 
country.     Many  of  the  farms  which  I  visited  had 


■I  4 , 


224 


The  Province  of  Manitoba. 


an  antiquated  look  wliicli  produced  a  strikinjj 
impression.  I  bad  expected  tliem  to  resemble 
otlier  Prairie  farms,  wliicli  appear  as  if  tliey  had 
just  been  established,  or  were  on  the  point  of  being 
abandoned,  everything  about  them  l)eing  unsub- 
stantial and  unfinished.  The  rude  dwelling-houses 
seem  intended  to  serve  a  temporary  purpose.  No 
trim  gardens  give  evidence  of  long  residence  and 
the  expenditure  of  leisure  time.  An  unenclosed 
plot  of  ground,  in  which  cabbages  or  potatoes  are 
struggling  for  existence  among  a  mass  of  weeds, 
is  the  only  attempt  at  gardening  to  be  seen  'on  a 
new  prairie  farm.  The  fields  bear  testimony  to 
the  haste  with  which  the  settler  has  striven  to 
grow  and  garner  a  crop.  He  has  sown  the  seed 
before  the  land  has  been  wholly  reclaimed  from 
its  Avilderness  state,  caring  nothing  about  appear- 
ances so  long  as  he  can  harvest  a  quantity  of 
grain  sufficient  to  repay  his  outlay  and  to  leave 
him  a  surplus  wherewith  to  feed  himself  and  his 
fiimily.  Tidiness  is  not  the  forte  of  a  prairie 
farmer. 

In  Manitoba,  however,  many  prairie  farms  have 
as  finished  and  comfortable  a  look  as  any  m  Great 
Britain.  An  enclosed  garden,  filled  with  flowers 
and  vegetables  and  free  from  wei-ds,  is  attached 
to  most  of  them ;  the  fields  are  in  excellent  con- 
dition;   the    dwelling-house    seems  built  to  last 


Fanninfr  in  Manitoba. 


225 


rikincc 
emble 
y  had 
being 
msub- 
iiouses 
.     No 
;e  and 
iclosed 
)os  are 
weeds, 
1  'on  a 
Dny  to 
ven  to 
le  seed 
from 
ipear- 
ity  of 
leave 
nd  his 
prairie 

s  have 
Great 

lowers 
,aclied 


and  to  afTord  a  comfortable  shelter;  an  air  pro- 


10 


con- 
last 


il' 


vails  wliicli  can  best  be  rendered  by  the  epithet 
home-like.  Tlii?  was  not  what  I  had  come  so  far 
to  see.  Yet,  if  I  had  pondered  more  carefully 
the  history  of  the  country,  it  is  precisely 
what  I  ought  to  have  expected.  It  is  a  common 
but  an  entire  mistake  to  regard  Manitoba  as  a 
region  of  the  globe  in  which  farming  is  an  ex- 
periment. The  truth  is  that  farming  has  been 
practised  there  on  a  considerable  scale  and  with 
remarkable  success  since  the  year  1812. 

At  the  beginning  of  this  century  the  problem 
of  how  to  deal  with  the  poorer  Highlanders 
caused  much  anxiety  to  philanthropists  and 
statesmen.  The  semi-patriarchal  state  in  which 
the  Hi"'hland  clans  had  lived  was  a  thino:  of  the 
past,  and  there  appeared  to  be  no  place  for  the 
members  of  these  clans  in  the  new  state  of  things. 
Shortly  after  the  bloody  suppression  of  the  re- 
bellion of  17-i5,  many  Ilighhmders  emigrated  to 
North  America.  Expatriated  Highlanders  con- 
stituted the  bone  and  marrow  of  the  colony  which 
General  Oglethorpe  conducted  across  the  Atlantic 
in  order  to  found  what  is  now  the  State  of 
Georgia.  Others  had  chosen  North  Carolina  as 
their  dwelling-place,  and,  siding  with  Congress  in 
the  war  of  Independence,  they  proved  themselves 
sturdy  and  dauntless  soldiers  in  battle. 


■BnBBBnr— - 


^BEB 


:i 


■     ! 


226 


TJie  Province  of  Manitoba. 


In  the  introduction  to  Scott's  Legend  of  Mon- 
trose an  account  is  given  of  Sergeant  More 
M'Alpin  who,  having  served  his  time  in  the  army 
and  been  discharged  with  a  pension,  went  back 
to  his  birthpkce  in  ^  ?  North  of  Scotkind  and 
found  that  a  single  farmer  occupied  the  ground 
where  two  hundred  persons  had  Hved  in  his  boy- 
hood. He  meditated  following  them  to  Canada 
and  settling  in  the  A^alley  which  t\\^'j  had  called 
after  their  native  glen.  Lord  Selkirk  persuaded 
some  of  these  evicted  Iliohlanders  to  unite  in 
founding  a  colony  on  the  banks  of  tlie  Red  River 
of  the  North.  He  had  become  Chairman  of  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company  and  ho  had  acquired  a 
tract  of  land  covering  1 1 0,000  square  miles, 
whereon  he  wished  to  form  a  settlement.  In  the 
spring  of  1811,  a  party  of  Highlanders,  the 
majority  being  natives  of  Sutherlandshire,  em- 
barked at  Stornaway  and  sailed  for  York  Factory 
on  Hudson  Bay.  It  was  autumn  before  the 
party  reached  York  Factory,  and  the  land  journey 
to  Fort  Garry,  on  the  Red  River,  could  not  be 
begun  till  the  following  spring ;  the  emigrants 
did  not  reach  their  destination  till  the  autumn  of 
,1812.  The  weary  and  dispirited  Highlanders 
found  that  tliey  Avere  expected  to  fight  as  well  as 
to  farm,  hostilities  being  then  in  progress  between 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company  and  the  North-West 


Red  River  Fanners. 


227 


Fur  Company  of  Canada  and  tliey  -wore  told  that, 
if  the  latter  Company  were  victorious,  they  would 
be  deprived  of  tlie  land  which  they  had  bought. 
So  hard  did  their  lot  seem  that  they  resolved  to 
quit  the  country,  and  they  had  actually  started 
in  1816  when,  on  Lord  Selkirk  appearing  with  a 
fresh  band  of  emigrants,  they  agreed  to  remain. 
Their  descendants  in  the  third  cceneration  are 
now  successful  and  prosperous  farmers,  and  it 
was  their  farms  which  struck  me  as  very  difTerent 
from  the  Prairie  farms  which  I  had  seen  else- 
where. Their  experience  demonstrates  how  fertile 
the  soil  is  along  the  Red  River  Valley. 

I  visited  farms  in  the  parish  of  Kildonan  where 
wheat  had  been  sown  and  where  crops  had  been 
reaped  for  sixty  years  in  succession  without 
manure  being  applied.  Indeed,  the  Red  Kiver 
farmers  have  long  regarded  the  natural  fertilizers 
of  the  soil  as  an  incumbrance  of  which  they  try 
to  rid  themselves  with  the  least  possible  trouble. 
Their  habit  was  either  to  cast  manure  into 
the  river  or  else  to  build  out-houses  in  such  a  way 
that  it  might  fall  down  and  be  no  more  seen. 
When  this  region  passed  from  under  tlie  juris- 
diction of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  and  became 
a  Province  of  Canada,  one  of  the  earliest  legislative 
enactments  provided  that  the  farmer  who  polluted 
a  river  with  manure  should  pay  a  fine  of  $25,  or 

Q  2 


rti 


It  I 


I 


t     » 


228 


T/ic  Province  of  Manitoba, 


else  be  imprisoned  for  two  raontlis.  Even  now  it 
is  more  common  to  collect  the  manure  in  lieaps 
than  to  strew  it  over  the  land.  The  only  fertilizer 
add(id  to  many  fields  is  the  ash  from  burned 
straw.  I  often  saw  the  straw,  remaining  after 
the  grain  had  been  thrashed,  set  on  fire  as  the 
quickest  way  to  dispose  of  it.  However,  as  the 
country  becomes  more  thickly  peopled,  straw  will 
be  taken  to  market  and  sold  for  money  instead  of 
being  converted  into  ashes. 

That  a  piece  of  land  should  bear  wheat  for  three 
generations  in  succession  is  extraordinary,  but 
that  the  yield  at  the  end  of  that  period  should 
amount  to  25  bushels  an  acre  is  more  extraordi- 
nary still.  On  virgin  soil  the  yield  is  enormous. 
The  best  evidence  on  this  head,  because  it  is  per- 
fectly authentic,  is  that  furnished  by  Mr.  Senator 
Sutherland,  a  native  of  the  Province,  to  a  Com- 
mittee of  the  Dominion  House  of  Commons  in 
1876.  Mr.  Sutherland  then  said  that  he  had 
"raised  60  bushels  of  spring  wheat  per  acre, 
weighing  ^^  lbs.  per  bushel,  the  land  having  been 
measured  and  the  grain  weighed  carefully.  I 
have  also  received  reliable  information  to  the 
efft'ct  that  70  bushels  of  wheat  have  been  pro- 
duced from  1  bushel  of  wheat  sown."  Another 
interesting  fact  rests  on  the  same  trustworthy 
authority ;    this  is  the  abundance  of  grass  and 


Prairie  Grasses. 


229 


cheapness  of  liaj.  The  prairie  grasses,  of  whicli 
there  are  six  varieties  in  tliis  Province,  con- 
tain much  nutriment;  they  can  be  convertid 
into  hay  at  the  cost  of  $1  a  ton.  These  wild 
grasses  pften  grow  to  the  height  of  5  feet ;  the 
yield  of  hay  is  as  much  as  4  tons  an  acre. 

While  the  descendants  of  the  original  settlers 
are  living  in  comfort,  the  new-comers  are  pros- 
pering also.  They  have  to  struggle  against  cer- 
tain drawbacks  as  is  the  lot  of  all  prairie  farmers  ; 
in  their  case,  however,  it  is  emphatically  true  that 
patience  and  perseverance  have  their  reward.  I 
conversed  with  many  of  the  later  settlers.  One 
of  them  was  a  very  intelligent  man  who  had 
emigrated  from  the  North  of  Ireland  to  Ontario 
fifteen  j^ears  ago  and  who  had  migrated  to  Mani- 
toba a  year  before  I  saw  him,  being  induced  to 
do  so  because  the  return  from  his  larm  did  not 
keep  pace  with  the  increase  and  the  demands  of 
his  family.  His  flock  of  a  dozen  children  gave 
him  no  concern  in  his  Manitoba  home.  Ilis 
eldest  daughter  had  found  a  good  place  at  a 
'liberal  wao'e  in  a  clerofyman's  household,  while 
his  crops  were  so  abundant  that  he  could  easily 
feed  all  the  months  dependent  upon  him  and  lay 
something  aside  lor  the  future. 

He  had  but  one  fault  to  find  with  the  country, 
and  he  was  not   singular  in  his  complaint.     The 


2:\o 


TJic  Province  of  Manitoba, 


,.  ^*  :^, 


violence  of  the  tliuiulorstorms  appalled  liim.  I 
was  not  surprised  to  bear  liiin  say  this.  I  have 
laad  some  experience  of  thunderstorms  and  I  am 
prepared  to  maintain  that  those  of  Manitoba  are 
so  terrific  as  to  be  be^^ond  all  rivalry.  In  Ontario 
the  flashes  of  lightning  are  more  vivid  and  the 
peals  of  thunder  jy^e  far  more  resonant  than  in 
England,  but  a  Manitoba  thunderstorm  is  to 
one  in  Ontario  what  one  in  Ontario  is  to  one  in 
England.  Wlien  Manitoba  is  visited  with  such  a 
storm  the  rain  falls  as  if  the  windows  of  heaven 
were  open,  the  thunder  crashes  as  if  the  celestial 
combat  imagined  by  Milton  were  at  its  height, 
the  liglitning  fills  the  air  with  sheets  of  dazzling 
brightness  athwart  which  dart  tono-ues  of  flame. 
The  air  is  so  charged  with  electricity  that  the 
simplest  operation  reveals  its  presence.  It  can 
be  made  manifest  by  merely  combing  one's  hair. 
At  times  it  appears  in  a  startling  fashion.  The 
Earl  of  Southesk  records  in  the  narrative  of  his 
travels  here  that,  when  about  to  wrap  himself  in 
a  fur  robe,  "  a  white  sheet  of  electrical  flame 
blazed  into  his  face,  for  a  moment  illuminating 
the  whole  tent." 

The  Manitoba  farmer  who  reaps  fabulously 
large  crops  can  afford  to  bear  the  discomforts  of 
occasional  thunderstorms  of  exceptional  violence. 
When  locusts,  or  grasshoppers  as  they  are  here 


Grasshoppers. 


231 


o 


called,  visit  the  country  tliey  cause  greater  un- 
easiness because  tliey  occasion  far  f^reater  loss 
than  all  the  thunderstornn.  This  plag-ne  is  not 
peculiar  to  Manitoba ;  it  is  dreaded  by  farniiM's  in 
the  AVestern  States  from  ^linnesota  to  Colorado. 
At  Denver,  the  capital  of  Colorado,  I  once  saw  a 
fliglit  of  grnsshoppers,  resembling  a  scintillating 
brown  cloud,  pass  over  the  city,  and  many  were  the 
speculations  among  the  onlookers  as  to  the  part 
of  the  State  on  which  it  would  descend  and  work 
destruction.  The  settlers  in  Manitoba  have 
suffered  less  from  this  pest  than  their  neighbours 
in  the  United  States.  Since  the  first  settlers 
came  here  in  1812  the  grasshoppers  have  ap- 
peared thirteen  times,  whereas  they  have  visited 
the  State  of  Minnesota  six  times  since  185o  ;  in 
the  former  case  the  visitations  havino-  been  thir- 
teen  during  sixty-eight  years  and  in  the  latter, 
six  during:  twentv-five  years.  The  Indians  wel- 
come  grasshoppers  ;  they  catch,  roast  and  eat  them 
and  pronounce  them  very  good.  Happily  for  the 
farmers,  wdio  prefer  bushels  of  grain  upon  which 
they  can  live,  to  bushels  of  grasshoppers  which 
devour  their  crops,  the  voracious  insects  are  not 
regular  visitors.  As  many  as  thirty-live  years  have 
elapsed  between  their  successive  apiiearances. 
Moreover,  the  farmers  are  better  able  now  to  ward 
off  their  ravages  than  they  were  in  bygone  days. 


\A 


I 


i  u 


I  S  f. 


'     1  fi 


Mi 


!' 


5    -: 


232 


77/(?  Province  of  Manitoba. 


Grasshoppers  are  an  infliction  wliich  is  not 
very  frequent  nor  very  greatly  feared ;  tlie  spring 
floods  are  annual  torments  for  which  no  remedy 
li;is  yet  been  adopted.  They  cause  the  farmer 
nnich  annoyance  and  serious  loss.  The  depo.^ifc 
left  upon  the  land  which  has  been  inundated  fre- 
quently lessens  its  fertility  for  a  season.  There 
is  a  remedy  wliich  would  cure  all  this,  or  better 
still  wliich  would  prevent  the  mischief  altogether. 
A  liohtnincr-rod  oniards  the  farmer's  house  and 
burns  from  injury  by  the  electric  fluid.  A  proper 
and  general  system  of  draninge  would  shield  his 
fields  from  the  destroying  flood  when  the  snow 
melts  in  the  spring  and  the  streams  are  swollen  to 
a  great  height.  The  Government  of  the  Province 
have  a  comprehensive  scheme  of  drainage  in 
contemplation.  If  it  -were  carried  out  and  if  it 
proved  effectual,  the  wealth  of  the  Province  would 
be  vastly  augmented,  the  waste  now  produced  by 
the  floods  being  incalculable. 

The  Red  River  cart  is  a  relic  of  ^lanitoba  in  the 
old  time  which  is  destined  to  follow  the  bufl'alo 
and  be  seen  no  more.  Indeed,  it  cannot  outlast 
the  buffalo,  because  buffalo  hide  is  one  of  the 
chief  materials  used  in  its  construction.  The 
cart  is  entirely  made  of  wood  and  buffalo  hide,  no 
metal  being  employed  or  required  in  its  construc- 
tion. It  was  an  ingenious  device  of  the  first 
settlers  Avho,  having  no  iron  at  their  disposal,  had 


ch  is  nofc 
tlie  spring 
10  roraedy 
he  farmer 
he  deposit) 
idated  fre- 
n.  There 
,  or  bclicr 
dtogether. 
house  and 
A  proper 
shiehl  liis 
tlie  snow 
swollen  to 
3  Province 
\ainage  in 
t  and  if  it 
ince  would 
oduced  by 

coba  in  the 
:he  buflalo 
lot  outlast 
•ne  of  the 
ion.  The 
lo  bide,  no 
construc- 
■  the  first 
posal,  had 


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]\Ianitoba  Ilouicslcads. 


2jj 


to  contrive  to  (HspnriFJo  with  it.  Such  n  cnrt  costs 
§10;  it  is  lit^lib  as  well  as^cliciip,  and  si  iioavior 
load  can  be  drawn  in  it  by  an  ox  over  tlie  soft 
prairie  than  in  a  cart  of  another  build.  AVitli  (^no 
of  these  carts  carryiiifica  h)ad  of  half  a  ton,  a  yoko 
of  oxen,  a  plough  and  a  few  other  iiii])hMnents, 
the  Manitoba  farmer  is  eqnipjicd  for  tilling  the 
soil.  Farming  on  the  prairie  is  very  different 
work  from  farming  in  the  backwoods  of  Canada. 
It  has  been  aptly  and  truly  said,  '*  Where  the 
Ontario  farmer  ends,  the  farmer  of  IManitoba 
begins."  The  latter  has  meiely  to  ])lough  the 
prairie,  sow  the  seed  and  wait  till  his  grain  is 
ready  to  be  rciiped ;  he  has  neither  trees  to  fell 
nor  land  to  clear. 

Any  citizen  of  the  British  Empire  can  get  a 
farm  in  ]\ranitoba  on  very  easy  terms.  The 
Canadian  Homestead  Act  provides  that  he  may 
secnre  IGO  acres  of  land  on  pnying  an  oflice  fee  of 
§10,  living  there  three  years,  erecting  a  dwelling 
on  it  not  less  than  18  feet  long  by  IG  feet  wide, 
and  cnltivating  a  part  of  the  land.  On  complying 
with  these  conditions,  he  becomes  the  absolute 
owner  of  the  land.  ITis  task  is  not  hard.  Ho 
may  grow  a  crop  the  first  year  of  occupation 
which  will  reimburse  him  for  all  his  outlny. 
Shonld  he  have  cattle,  they  can  graze  free  of  cost 
on  the  prairie  grass  and  be  fed  in  winter  on  hay 

Inch  he  obtains  for  the  trouble  of  cuttiiiir  and 


!! 


'!     I 


i 


I 


234 


The  Province  of  Manitoba, 


curing  it.  In  order  to  succeed  lie  must  start  witli 
capital;  the  minimum  sum  wliicli  lie  ought  to  have 
on  beginning  to  farm  is  $500 ;  the  larger  his 
capital  the  greater  his  chance  of  success.  In  any 
case  he  must  make  up  his  mind  to  endure  some 
privations,  to  eat  very  plain  food,  to  sleep  little 
and  work  very  hard.  Should  he  be  diligent  in 
toiling  with  his  hands,  lie  may  count  upon  being 
in  comfortable  circumstances  at  the  end  of  five 
years  and  a  rich  man  at  the  end  of  ten.  Tlie 
fault  will  be  his  own  if  he  fail.  Nature  has  done 
everything  for  the  Manitoba  farmer  that  nature 
can  do  for  any  farmer,  and  it  rests  with  him 
to  do  the  rest.  The  Manitoba  farmers  whom  I 
visited  and  witli  wdiom  I  conversed  are  so  con- 
scious of  this  as  to  indulge  but  seldom  in  the 
grumbling  which  is  the  failing  of  the  farming 
class.  I  found  them  more  ready  to  express 
thankfulness  than  to  find  fault.  It  was  their  rule 
to  use  nearly  the  same  form  of  words  in  which  to 
convey  their  reply  to  my  question  as  to  what  they 
thought  about  the  country  as  a  whole,  the  phrase 
being  "  Manitoba  is  the  finest  land  that  God's 
sun  ever  shone  on."^ 

'  Among  the  mnny  p.atiiplilets,  TjIuo  "Hooks  and  works  relating 
to  ^IaniU)l)a  which  I  have  read,  none  contains  a  more  interesting 
and  vahiahle  acconnt  of  its  early  liistory  than  a  hook  entitled 
Ixcil  li-i'ei\  by  Mr.  J.  J.  llargrave,  published  at  Montreal  in 
1871. 


irt  vvitli 
to  have 
2^er  bis 
III  any 
e  some 
'P  little 
rent  in 
1  being 
of  five 
I.  The 
as  done 
,  nature 
til  him 
vliom  I 
30  con- 
in  the 
^'arming 
express 
eir  rule 
liicli  to 
lat  they 
1  phrase 
)    God's 


s  relating 
iiter<>Htiiig 
k  (nititlod 
)ntreal  in 


CHAPTER  XL 

MENNONITES   AND   ICELANDEES    IN   MANITOBA. 

The    emigration  of   the    Mennonites    from   their 
Russian  homes  near  the  Sea  of  Azoft'  to  new  ones 
near  the  Red  River  of  the  North,  is  an  interesting 
fact  in  contemporary  history.     These  Mennonites 
are  German  Protestants  wlio  reject  infant  bai)tism, 
who  will  not  bear  arms  or  take  an  oath.      Their 
ancestors  took   refuge  in   Russia  a  century  ago 
because  they  were  not  allowed  to  practise  their 
religion    in    Western    Prussia.     They    fonnd    an 
asylam   in  Russia  where  the  edicts  of   successive 
Em])erors  allowed  them  to  till  the  soil  and  live  in 
peace.   It  was  decreed,  however,  that  the  immunity 
which  they  had    enjoyed    from    military    sei'viee 
should  terminate  in  1871  ;  hence,  they  had  either 
to  submit  to  the  conscription  or  l(«ave  the  country. 
The  majority  chose  the  latter  alternative. 

A  large  number  of  JMennonites  emigrated  to  the 
United  States,  settling  in  Nebraska  and   Kansas. 


tlji  :1 


236    Mennonites  and  Icelanders  in  Manitoba. 

A  small  body  went  to  Brazil,  suffered  mncli  and 
returned  to  Russia  after  undergoing  great  priva- 
tions and  after  being  the  objects  of  English 
charity  during  their  stay  at  Southampton,  on 
returning  from  Brazil,  and  till  permission  to  re- 
enter Russia  was  granted.  While  the  exodus  was 
in  progress,  Mr.  Hespeler  was  commissioned  by 
the  Canadian  Government  to  proceed  to  Russia  and 
suggest  to  the  ]\[ennonitts  that  Manitoba  would 
be  a  suitable  place  for  them.  A  few  IMennonites 
had  settled  in  Ontario,  had  prospered,  had  grown 
rich  and  were  disposed  to  succour  their  unfortunate 
brethren  in  the  dominions  of  the  Czar.  They 
agreed  to  become  sureties  to  the  Government  of 
Canada  for  the  repayment  of  any  sum  which  it 
might  be  necessary  to  advance  to  tlie  Russian 
Mennonites  by  way  of  loan.  The  amount  lent  by 
the  Government  was  $80,000,  at  G  per  cent, 
interest,  repayable  in  eight  years. 

Before  deciding  to  leave  Russia  for  Canada,  the 
]\[ennonites  sent  three  agents  to  survey  the  land 
and  empowered  them,  if  satisfied  Avitli  it,  to 
select  a  tract  for  settlement.  These  accents 
reported  very  favourably  of  Manitoba,  and  they 
chose  two  places  one  to  the  East,  the  other  to 
the  West  of  the  Red  Eiver,  as  suitable  for  their 
brethren.  The  Canadians  were  not  impressed 
with  the  penetration  of  these  agents,  because  the 


ha. 


Mcnnonite  Homes. 


237 


cli  and 
:  priva- 
j]iiglisli 
;on,  on 
L  to  re- 
ins was 
ncd  by 
ssiaand 
I  would 
nonites 
.  grown 
rtunato 
Tli(7 
nent  of 
I'hich  it 
lussian 
lent  by 
r   cent. 

ida,  tlie 
le  land 
it,  to 
aixents 
1  they 
tlier  to 
n-  tlieir 
pressed 
use  tlie 


i( 


land  wliicli  they  deliberately  selected  seemed  far 
inferior  to  other  land  which  they  might  luive  had. 
When  the  main  body  of  the  Mennonites  arrived 
at  the  E-ed  River  about  five  years  ago,  they  had 
much  to  endure.  They  had  to  encamp  on  the 
open  prairie  in  the  cold  winter  months.  Water 
was  scarce  and  trees  were  few  in  number.  They 
dug  wells  and  met  the  first  difficulty  ;  they  built 
houses  of  sun-dried  brick  and  overcame  the  second 
and,  what  was  still  more  wonderful,  they  heated 
their  dwvjllin2:s  and  cooked  their  food  with  fires 
made  without  w^ood  or  coal.  I  mentioned  in  a 
previous  chapter  tliat  the  early  settlers  had  a 
habit,  which  they  bequeathed  to  their  descendants 
and  from  which  the  latter  are  not  yet  weaned,  of 
burning:  the  straw  in  their  fields  and  casting*  their 
manure  into  the  river.  The  Mennonites  carefully 
save  both.  They  thatch  their  houses  and  barns 
with  'nirt  of  the  straw;  the  remainder  they  mix 
with  tae  manure,  press  the  two  together  and  cut 
the  mass  into  cakes,  which  serve  admirably  as 
fuel  to  burn  in  their  clay-built  stoves.  These 
stoves  are  so  arranged  that  three  sides  of  each 
form  parts  of  three  rooms,  tlms  distributing  heat 
over  the  o'reatest  surface  and  economiziim'  fuel. 

More  cosy  dwellings  and  better  arranged  farm 
offices  than  those  of  the  ]\[ennonites  are  not  to  be 
found  iu  Manitoba  or  in  the  Canadian  i'ar  West. 


|i.  ; 


■I 

'  S  I 


238 


Jllcnnonilcs  and  Icelanders  i/i  Manitoba, 


The  furniture  is  plain  but  substantial,  and  well 
adapted  for  its  purpose.  It  is  the  handiwork  of  the 
people  themselves.  They  employ  tlieir  leisure  in 
carpentry  during  tlie  frost-bound  winter  months. 
The  men  think  it  as  absurd  not  to  make  their  own 
cliairs  and  tables,  their  writing-desks  and  chests  of 
drawers,  as  the  women  consider  it  inexcusable  not 
to  suckle  their  infants  and  make  the  clothes 
used  by  their  families.  It  is  tlie  custom  of  both 
sexes  to  buy  anything  which  tliey  can  fabricate 
for  themselves.  They  are  thoroughly  practical 
Christians ;  they  hold  that  their  duties  to  them- 
selves and  their  nei2:libou.rs  consist  in  dressinof 
plainly,  being  diUgent  in  business  and  rendering 
to  every  one  his  due  and  no  more.  They  are 
ready  to  help  those  who  help  themselves ;  but 
they  will  not  lend  a  hand  to  keep  tlie  idle  by 
nature  in  a  state  of  blissful  indolence.  The  men 
are  farmers  from  choice.  No  drones  are  suffered 
to  remain  in  their  community.  Every  one  in 
sound  health  is  obliged  to  labour  with  his  hands 
or  to  pay  the  penalty  of  starving.  A  clergyman 
toils  in  the  fields  during  the  week  and  ministers 
to  tlie  spiritual  wants  of  his  flock  on  Sundays. 
Nor  is  the  schoolmaster  exempted  from  manual 
labour  during  seed-time  and  harvest ;  the  rest  of 
the  year  he  is  permitted  to  teach  the  children. 
The  women  have  to  labour  as  hard  and  as  un- 


Mcnnonitc  Doctrines  and  Habits, 


239 


remitting-ly  as  the  men.  No  distinction  of  sex  is 
made  when  a  field  has  to  be  weeded,  a  house 
plastered,  seed  sown  or  cattle  tended.  All  who 
can  use  their  hands  are  obliged  to  do  so  when  the 
occasion  arises. 

The  Mennonites  will  not  fight  on  any  provoca- 
tion. They  will  not  take  an  oath  whate\'er  the 
consequences.  They  will  not  go  to  law  if  they 
can  possibly  help  it,  and  they  carry  their  in- 
dependence to  such  an  extreme  that  each  one 
acts  as  his  own  physician  witliout  thinking  tliat 
he  is  chargeable  with  folly.  They  can  tlie  more 
easily  dispense  with  drugs  and  doctors  because 
they  enjoy  exceptionally  good  health.  The  conntry 
and  the  climate  suit  them.  I  was  told  by  those 
whom  I  questioned  on  the  subject  that,  in 
Manitoba,  they  had  far  less  sickness,  especially 
among  the  children,  than  in  Southern  lliissia. 
They  are  temperate ;  but  they  are  not  water 
drinkers  on  principle.  They  relish  a  glass  of 
whiskey  and  still  more  a  glass  of  brandy  if  tlu^y 
can  enjoy  it  Avifchout  payment.  Their  chief 
objection  to  strong  liquors  consists  in  having  to 
pay  for  them.  They  also  delight  in  a  pi[)e,  if 
tobacco  be  supplied  to  them  gratis. 

I  spent  a  night  in  one  of  their  settlements  ;  1 
visited  many  of  their  farms  ;  I  conversed  with 
several  of  them  in   their  own   tongue.     It  is    a 


1  . 


1 


1 1  %: 


1 


|l 


240    Metmonites  aitd  Icelanders  in  Ma7iitoba. 

proof  of  their  innato  and  intense  conservatism 
that  thoy  have  preserved  their  German  speech 
till  now.  It  is  doubtful  whether  they  will  not  be 
driven  to  speak  English  as  well  as  German  and, 
in  time,  to  speak  English  exclusively.  In  Russia 
they  had  no  temptation  or  inducement  to  learn  the 
language  of  the  country.  They  were  a  compara- 
tively educated  body  placed  among  an  ignorant 
and,  in  their  estimation,  an  inferior  race.  If  the 
Eussians  by  whom  they  were  surrounded  wished 
to  converse  with  them,  they  held  it  to  be  tlie 
business  of  the  Russians  to  acquire  their  language. 
Now  the  tables  are  turned.  They  find  it  necessary 
to  learn  English  in  order  to  do  business  with  their 
neighbours,  these  neighbours  not  caring  to  take 
any  trouble  for  the  purpose  of  being  able  to 
converse  with  them.  AVhereas  in  Russia  they 
looked  down  with  contempt  upon  their  ignorant 
neighbours,  in  Manitoba  thoy  recognize  that  their 
neighbours  are  better  educated  and  far  more 
advanced  in  the  ways  of  the  world  than  themselves. 
The  agricultural  implements  which  they  saw  in 
Canada  were  as  much  superior  to  those  which  they 
had  used  in  Russia  as  a  railway  train  is  to  a  stage 
coach.  They  felt  that  the  people  who  made  and 
employed  such  improved  ploughs,  thrashing 
machines  and  harvesters  must  be  infinitely  tiieir 
superiors.     They   showed   their   tact    and   good 


i    ( 

3    i 


o 

and 

Isbing 

tiiuir 

good 


Failings  of  the  Alcnnouilcs. 


241 


sense,  not  only  in  recognizing  tliis,  but  also  in 
buying  the  novel  implements  of  agriculture  wliere- 
wilh  to  cultivate  tlie  soil. 

Their  satisfaction  with  the  soil  and  climate  is  ex- 
pressed without  reserve  and  in  the  sfi'ongest  terras. 
Each  of  those  to  whom  I  addressed  a  question  on 
this  head  informed  me  that  the  soil  of  Manitoba 
was  more  fertile,  that  the  yield  of  grain  was  larger, 
that  the  quality  of  the  grain  was  better  there 
than  in  Southern  Russia,  while  the  climate,  espe- 
cially in  summer,  was  far  superior.  Some  ot 
them  waxed  enthusiastic  when  speaking  of  their 
Canadian  home.  They  have  nothing  to  complain 
of.  The  Canadian  Government  have  pledged 
themselves  to  respect  the  religious  scruples  of  the 
Mennonites.  The  Mennonites,  on  the  other  hand, 
desire  nothing:  so  much  as  to  be  left  in  the  un- 
disturbed  enjoyment  of  what  they  style  *'  a 
beautiful,  a  heavenly  land."  Their  feelings  are 
manifested  in  the  names  given  to  their  villages, 
these  being  "  Schonthal,"  "  Blumenort,"  "  Sclion- 
wiese,"  "  Rosenthal,"  signifying  Beautiful  Valley, 
Flowery  Spot,  Beautiful  Meadow,  Rose  Valley. 

Though  the  Mennonites  possess  many  virtues 
and  make  excellent  settlers  in  a  new  country, 
they  are  yet  far  from  being  model  citizens.  Their 
very  virtues  are  not  easily  distinguishable  from 
vices.     They  are  as  avaricious  and  niggardly  as 


(i 


242    Mcnnonitcs  and  Icclanacrs  in  Manitoba. 

Frericli  peasant  proprietors.  They  are  morbidly 
suspicious  of  pcrs(jns  who  do  not  belong*  to  their 
bodvand,  wlien  deahno-  witli  strani'-ers,  they  drive 
bargains  which  are  so  hard  Jis  to  verge  on  sharp 
practices.  To  get  money  is  their  cliief  aim  in 
life,  and  their  wliole  enioyment  consists  iu  hd)our- 
ing  for  that  object.  Like  otlier  assiiUious  cul- 
tivators of  the  soil,  tliey  allow  their  minds  to  lie 
fallow.  They  can  read  and  write  ;  indeed,  they 
would  be  ashamed  of  being  unable  to  do  both ; 
but  they  consider  it  no  reproach  to  be  indifferent 
to  literature  otlier  tban  school-books,  hymn-books 
and  the  Bible,  and  never  to  look  at  a  newspaper. 
They  are  utterly  heedless  as  to  the  affairs  of  the 
world,  so  long  as  they  can  reap  their  crops  and 
make  a  profit  by  selling  their  produce.  If  they 
learn  Avhat  is  the  market  price  of  what  they  have 
to  sell,  they  have  learnt  all  the  current  information 
which  they  care  to  possess. 

Even  the  charity  of  the  Mennonites  has  its  dark 
side.  The  poorer  bretliren  are  assisted  by  the 
richer,  but  the  richer  take  care  lest  the  poorer 
should  be  so  well  paid  as  to  grow  independent 
and  make  their  own  terms.  Kicli  Mennonites 
are  thoroughly  conyinced  of  the  advantage  of 
employing  cheap  labour.  Their  astuteness  as  a 
connnunityis  sometimes  carried  far  beyond  permis- 
sible limits.  I  was  present  when  the  heads  of  one  of 


Mennoniic  Exchisivcncss. 


243 


bidly 
tlic'ir 
drive 
sharp 
\\\\  in 
L])Our- 
s   cul- 
to  lie 
,  tliey 
both ; 
fferent 
-books 
paper, 
of  the 
ps  and 
f  they 
ly  have 
nation 

s  dark 
»y  tlie 
[poorer 
mdcnt 
lionites 
lige  of 
is  ;is  a 
ierniis- 
ione  of 


th(Mr  '^^anicip:ditio3  were  taken  to  task  for  the 
following  coiidiiet.  In  connnon  witli  otlicrs  in  the 
Trovince,  this  Miinicipahty  had  received  $100 
from  tlie  Trovincial-  Government  to  be  applied 
in  drainage.  The  grant  was  accepted  by  tlie 
Municipality  in  question,  but  nothing  was  done  in 
draining  the  land.  Unless  each  jMunicipality  chd 
its  duty,  the  effect  of  the  Avork  would  be  impaired. 
The  result  of  investii2:ation  was  to  show  that  the 
Mennonite  jMunicipality  had  expended  'i^lh  in  buy- 
ing two  drainage  ploughs  which  were  carefully 
stored  away,  and  had  lent  the  rest  of  the  sum 
at  interest  to  a  member  of  their  own  body. 

It  is  the  desire  and  hope  of  the  Mennonites  in 
Manitoba  to  live  apart  from  their  neighbours  and 
to  preserve  their  own  speech  and  customs  as  th'\y 
did  in  Russia.  There  are  many  ])laces  on  the 
North  American  Continent  where  colonies  have 
been  established  which  have  preserved  most  of  the 
characteristics  of  their  founders.  In  Nova  Scotia 
and  Ontario  there  are  German  settlements ;  in 
New  Brunswick  there  is  a  Danish  settlement ;  in 
Ontario  there  is  a  Highland  settlement;  in  many 
parts  of  \\\(i  country  there  are  French  settlements. 
But  these  settlements  are  chiefly  characterized  by 
two  languages  being  spoken  by  the  people ;  those 
among  them  whose  ancestral  tongue  is  German, 
Gaelic  or  French  learn  English  also  and  the  fact 

R  2 


¥. 


4    1,6     • 


;  ;5 


m 


■■Hi 


_J 


244    ]\lennonitcs  and  Icelanders  in  JlTanitoba, 

oftlic  po(^plo  s[)onkinpr  two  lnni]:iinn;r'is  is  the  diiof, 
if  not  the  only  distinction  between  tliem  {lud  other 
Canadians.  Eveiy  year  tlie  possibility  of  remaining 
a  class  apart  is  more  difficult  owing  to  the  increase 
of  interconnnnnication.  The  present  generation 
of  Mennonites  may  practise  all  the  exclusiv^e  rules 
to  which  thev  have  been  accustomed  and  their 
ignorance  of  English  will  render  it  easier  for  them 
to  resist  any  external  influence  which  might  cause 
them  to  modify  or  alter  their  views  and  habits. 
Thoir  children  w^ill  assuredly  succumb  to  these 
influences.  They  are  learning  English  and  they 
will  acquire  ideas  which  must  alter  their  mode  of 
life.  Moreover,  the  Mennonites  are  making  money 
more  rapidly  than  they  ever  did  before  and  the 
sons  of  rich  parents  may  cease  to  labour  with  their 
hands  as  their  forefiithers  have  done  for  genera- 
tions. It  is  to  be  hoped,  however,  that  they  will 
preserve  some  of  their  simple  tastes  and  all  their 
domestic  virtues.  The  Mennonites  have  tanglit 
the  Canadians  many  lessons,  and  they  have  learned 
much  in  return.  The  progress  of  their  community 
deserves  to  be  watched  with  interest.  As  tillers  of 
the  soil  they  have  no  superiors.  As  j^ioneers  in 
subjugation  of  the  wilderness  they  cannot  bo 
rivalled.  Their  gospel  of  labour  is  sound  and 
profitable  doctrine  for  settlers  in  the  Far  West, 
and  it  is  their  merit  to  practise  it  with  diligence 


Nc7a  Iceland. 


245 


ami  zo;il.  As  Lord  DiifrtTui  rema!'k(Ml  in  an 
adiiiirahle  speech  delivered  when  visit iiiq*  tlieir 
resorvatioii,  they  are  useful  recruits  and  comrades 
in  a  contest  waged  with  Nature  wliero  no  blood  is 
shed  or  misery  wrought.  Yet  tlio  war  "  is  one  of 
ambition,  for  w^e  intend  to  annex  territory,  but 
neither  blazing  villages  nor  devastated  fields  will 
maik  our  ruthless  track  ;  our  battalion  will  march 
across  tho  illimitable  plaius  which  stretch  before 
us  as  sunshine  steals  athwart  tho  ocean  ;  the  rolling 
prairie  will  blossom  in  our  wake,  and  corn  and 
peace  and  plenty  will  spring  where  we  have  trod." 


earned 
Qunity 
ers.of 
;ers  in 
ot  bo 
and 
West, 
igence 


II. 

Fifty-six  miles  northward  of  Winnipeg  is  Gindi, 
the  Capital  of  New  Iceland.  The  territory  set 
apart  for  the  Icelanders  covers  27,000  acres ;  the 
population  did  not  much  exceed  1029  at  the  close 
of  1879  ;  about  500  Icelanders  of  both  sexes  were 
scattered  over  the  Province,  the  men  working  on 
farms,  the  women  as  domestic  servants.  Lord 
Dufferin  was  an  enthusiastic  advocate  of  immi- 
gration into  Canada  from  Iceland.  lie  had 
learned  from  personal  observation  how  hard  life 
was  in  Iceland  itself,  the  people  there  existing  as 
he  phrased  it  "  amid  the  snows  and  ashes  of  an 


!i 


^     ! 


246    JMcnuoHiics  and  Icelanders  in  Manitoba, 

arctic  volcano."  Tlic  first  Tci'landic  scttlomont  in 
Cjuiiula  was  iiiado  in  1875  near  Burnt  River  in 
Victoria  County,  Ontario.  Tiic  spot  reminded  tlio 
Icelanders  of  tlieir  native  land  far  to  well,  the 
cliief  i)r()duct  of  the  locality  being  rock.  It  was 
tlien  resolved  to  offer  them  a  tract  of  hind  in  the 
Far  West  on  the  sliore  of  Lake  Winnipeg,  provided 
that  they  would  remove  thither  and  induce  their 
countrvmen  to  ioin  them.  The  removal  was 
cfl'ected  the  following  year  and  as  many  as  2000 
took  up  their  abode  near  Lidvo  AVinnipeg,  an 
inland  sea  as  lonf?  as  Knn-land  and  not  less 
abundantly  stocked  with  fish  than  the  salt  ocean 
around  Iceland.  Immediately  after  arriving, 
small-pox  broke  out  among  them  and  they  wero 
subjected  to  a  species  of  quarantine;  they  com- 
plained of  being  kept  too  strictly  isolated  and. 
that  intercourse  with  the  rest  of  the  world  was 
forbidden  them  long  after  all  risk  of  contagion  had 
ceased. 

Perhaps  no  settlers  in  the  Far  West  have  had 
more  difficulties  to  surmount  than  these  Icelanders; 
certainly,  none  have  found  anything  so  strange  aud 
nnlike  what  they  had  seen  before.  As  Lord 
Duflerin  justly  remarked,  the  business  of  tho 
Canadian  settlers  is  to  fell  wood,  plough  fields, 
make  roads  ;  these  Icelanders,  however,  had  never 
seen  in  tlieir  native  isle,  a  tree,  a  cornfield  or  a 


■ 


w 


Discord  anion o-  the  Icelanders, 


247 


e  had 
ders ; 
c  and 
Lord 
H  tlio 
fields, 
never 
d  or  a 


road,  and  tliey  wei'o  i^-nornni  of  I  Ik*  vi^i'V  elcMnonts 
of  agriculture.  It  is  lii^ldy  creditable  to  (lieiti 
that  they  h;ive  learned  very  (piiclsly  how  to 
cultivate  the  soil,  the  neat  <i"ardeiis  round  their 
comfortable  houses  beinii;'  pleasinjj^  tokens  of  their 
])rogress.  They  have  been  successful  in  ivaring 
cattle  and  they  have  now  added  beef  to  their 
dietary ;  formerly  they  lived  entirely  on  fisli, 
vegetables  and  bread.  1  am  not  sanguine,  liowevei*, 
about  the  hopes  of  the  promoters  of  the  settle- 
ment beiniif  realized.  Immim'ation  from  Iceland 
does  not  continue.  For  a  time  the  desire  of  the 
Icelanders  to  persiiade  their  brethren  at  home  to 
join  them  was  so  marked  that  Mr.  Lowe,  Secretary 
to  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  informed  a 
Committee  of  the  Dominion  House  of  Gonunons, 
*'  almost  every  settler  in  Xew  Iceland  ap|)ears  to 
be  an  immigration  agent."  The  great  changes 
which  these  Icelanders  have  undergone  appears  to 
have  created  in  their  minds  a  Ion" in";  for  further 
chanofe  and  fresh  wanderino;.  Some  of  them  have 
proceeded  to  the  United  States  and  those  who 
remain  are  not  satisfied  with  their  lot.  They  are 
a  good-tempered  and  harmless  race,  they  make 
excellent  servants,  but  they  appear  lacking  in  the 
quahties  which  constitute  successful  colonists. 


ni 


m 


It 


i  > 


CHAPTEB  XII. 


I 


■f 


.1 


THE    NORTH-WEST   'J'ETIRTTOKIES. 

"  Go  west,  young  man,  and  grow  up  witli  tlio 
country,"  was  tlie  pitliy,  sensible  and  often- 
quoted  advice  which  Horace  Greeley  gave  to  such 
of  his  countrymen  as  were  unable  to  get  suitable 
employment  in  the  Eastern  States  of  the  Union. 
The  result  has  been  to  people  the  Western  States 
with  men  who  find  it  easier  to  grow  rich  there 
than  in  the  place  of  their  birth.  What  the 
younger  citizens  of  the  United  States  have  been 
doing  for  many  years  back,  the  young  Canadians 
are  doing  now.  They,  too,  have  a  Far  West 
which  is  as  rich  in  golden  opportunities  as  that 
which  used  to  be  regarded  as  the  most  favoured 
part  of  the  North  American  Continent.  Large 
and  important  though  JManitoba  undoubtedly  is, 
there  is  a  region  beyond  it  still  larger  and  still 
more  attractive.  Many  persons  fancy  that  JMani- 
toba is  far  enou^'h  west,  vet  others  reo-ard  it  as  on 


IVcs/crn  Roads. 


249 


til  tlio 
often- 
o  such 
iii  table 
Union. 
States 
tbere 
t   tlio 
e  been 
adians 
West 
s  that 
on  red 
[jarge 
]ly  is, 
\  still 
Mani- 
as on 


K 


the  threshold  of  the  new  and  marvellous  country 
for  which  they  are  bound,  and  they  treat  it  as  a 
mere  halting-place  in  their  journey  towards  the 
settinix  sun. 

When  the  Canadian  Pacific  Ptailwny  is  finished 
and  open  for  traffic  the  journey  westward  through 
IManitoba  will  be  an  easy  one.  At  present  it 
is  tedious  and  trying.  During  a  part  of  the  year 
there  is  comnninication  by  water  between  AVinni- 
peg  and  Portage  la  Prairie,  70  miles  to  the  west, 
and  it  is  also  possible  to  go  in  a  steamer  as  far  as 
Battleford,  the  Capital  of  the  North-West.  But 
the  more  general  mode  of  travel,  and  the  one 
which  will  be  followed  till  the  railway  can  be  used 
is  for  travellers  thither  to  start  in  a  light  spring 
wao-croii,  carrving  a  tent  and  other  encumbrances 
in  view  of  the  prol)ablo  necessity  of  having  to 
camp  out.  The  traveller  and  the  emigrant  do  not 
require  long  experience  of  ]\Ianitobato  thoroughly 
understand  its  greatest  drawback,  the  ab.-:ence  of 
good  roads.  The  word  road  has  seldom  a  place 
in  the  language  of  the  people,  the  common  ex- 
pression to  designate  the  pathway  between  two 
places  being  "  ti'ail."  It  mny  be  said,  indeed, 
that  each  traveller  makes  his  own  road.  If  he  be 
aware  of  the  direction  which  he  ought  to  follow, 
he  chooses  the  part  of  the  prairie  whei'e  tlie 
ground    is^  best    fitted    for   driving.     Nothing  is 


2sO 


The  K'orth-W^cst  Tcrrllorics. 


If 


'% 


ii:   I 


1 

1 

i 

t' 

1 
i 

1 

I 

id 


i  i 


ensi'fT  tlian  to  drive  over  the  stoneless  and 
springing  turf  of  tlie  virgin  prairie  and,  if  tlie 
traflic  be  not  too  great,  an  excellent"  trail"  is 
made  by  tlie  passage  of  successive  vehicles.  But, 
when  the  traffic  is  heavy  and  continuous  and  holes 
are  formed  in  which  water  settles  and  the  soft 
mould  resembles  a  mass  of  tenacious  mud,  then 
following  the  "  trail  "  is  a  weariness  to  the  flesh 
of  man  and  beast.  The  roads  of  Manitoba  must 
have  mucli  in  common  witli  tlie  famous  roads 
in  tlie  Highlands  before  the  advent  of  General 
Wade. 

When  England  was  supposed  to  be  the  land 
of  mirtli  and  song,  the  persons  who  regard 
those  bygone  days  with  r(\gret  would  feel 
themselves  disenchanted  if  they  were  suddenly 
transphinted  to  tlie  gold  age  of  their  dreams. 
English  roads  were  then  in  much  the  same  state 
as  those  in  jManitijba  now.  The  Slough  of 
Des})ond  through  which  l>unyan  makes  Cliristian 
struggle  at  the  beginning  of  his  heavenward  pil- 
gi'image  to  the  Celestial  City,  was  doubtless  copied 
from  somethino-  which  he  had  seen  near  Bedford. 
No  clearer  or  more  accurate  representation  of  a 
Manitoba  "  shnv  "'  has  ever  been  furnished  than 
that  which  Bunyan  wrote  by  way  of  illusti'ating 
the  obstacles  whicli  Christian  liiid  to  face  and 
surmount  at  the  outset  of  his  journey.     Christian 


jMiidholcs. 


251 


s    and 

if  the 

lil"  is 

But, 

1  holes 

le  soft 

1,  then 

e  flesli 

a  ii^ust 

roads 

li  eneral 

iG  Land 

regard 

d  ^feel 

ddenly 

reams. 

e  state 

gli    of 

ristian 

rd  pil- 

copied 

nlford. 

\\\  of  a 

ll  than 

i'atin2: 

|c   and 

'i.'itian 


had  bnt  one  to  cross,  whereas  the  ])ilgi'ims  bonnd 
for  tlie  Canadian  Nortli-AVest  have  to  cross 
hundreds.  The  stoutest-hearted  eniio'i-ant  \\\\o 
has  resolved  to  settle  on  the  Saskatchewan  Kiver 
and  who  has  begun  what  he  considers  the  last 
stage  of  his  journey  at  the  Cnpital  of  Manitoba, 
has  felt  his  courao^e  and  confidence  fail  him  lone: 
before  he  lias  reached  the  first  towu  of  importance. 
Between  Winnipeg  and  Portage  hi  Prairie  the 
mudholes  are  so  many  and  so  difficult  to  cross 
that,  if  they  had  intercepted  Christian's  pnth,  he 
would  inevitably  have  returned  in  des])air  to  the 
City  of  Destruction.  Many  cniigrants  have  seen 
them  and  turned  back  in  dismay.  Some  expk)rers 
of  the  land  have  done  likewise.  One  of  the  latter 
warned  me  against  making  an  attempt  wliicli 
must  end  in  failure,  if  not  in  tlie  fracture  of  uiy 
neck.  It  is  simply  impossible  to  depict  the  difii- 
culties  caused  by  those  "mudholes  ;"  as  difficult 
is  it  to  persuade  the  new  comer  tliat  tlic  "mud" 
which  he  regards  wnth  horror  and  disgust  is  the 
finest  alluvial  soil  which  can  be  found  anywhere. 
It  is  no  uncommon  occurrence  for  a  train  of 
freight  waggons,  bound  A^estward,  to  be  detained 
several  davs  in  the  "  mudholes  "  which  iutersect 
the  beaten  ])atli  a  few  miles  to  the  west  of  Winni- 
peg. The  emigrants  who  have  sunuounted  these 
obstacles  to  their  progress  and  who  remain  con- 


11 


2'^2 


TJie  NortJi-Wesl  Territories. 


%% 


fi  i 


H  i    ? 


il 


fidorit  of  iiltimato  success  arc  llic  persons  wlio 
not  only  deserve  success  but  reap  it. 

An  emigrant  wlio  has  made  up  liis  mind  to  seek 
a  new  home  in  Manitoha  can  easily  prepare  himself, 
before  leaving  home,  for  what  he  nmst  encounter 
on  the  way  to  his  homestead  in  the  Canadian 
Far  AVest.  Let  him  practise  crossing  a  newly- 
ploughed  field  for  hours  together  with  a  horss 
and  cart  and  pitching  a  tent  at  the  end  of  his 
journey. ,  Let  him  arrange  so  that  there  are  fre- 
quent ponds  in  the  field,  tli(>se  ponds  being  at  least 
five  hundred  yards  in  width,  having  an  average 
depth  of  four  feet  and  a  muddy  bottom.  If  he  be 
not  disheartened  by  exercise  of  this  k^.nd  lie  is  well 
qualified  for  starting  on  a  trip  to  the  Canadian  Far 
W jst  during  the  wet  seasouo  He  m.ay  bo  agreenbly 
surprised  at  other  seasons  by  finding  the,  roads  in 
a  very  different  condition.  In  the  autumn  they 
are  sometimes  as  dry  and  liard  and  smooth  as  a 
I'oad  paved  with  asphalte.  During  the  winter 
months  they  xvcq  always  good,  for  then  the  hard 
frozen  snow  covers  the  prairie  and  any  vehicle  in 
the  form  of  a  sledge  skims  over  it  as  easily  as 
a  train  runs  along  a  line  of  rails. 

J. he  emigrant  or  traveller  who  is  prepared  to 
camp  out  will  find  life  on  the  prairie  far  less  un- 
bearable than  if  lie  depend  for  shelter  at  night  in 
a  settler's  hut.     It  is  trying  to  toil  along  the  miry 


R;l 


■I 


Prairie  Hotels. 


253 


inter 

hard 

cle  ill 

ly  as 

■(m1  to 

^s  un- 

:lit  in 

iiiiiy 


patlis  ovor  wliicli  tliii'ty  miles  are  nil  tliat  can  bo 
conveniently  ])assed  between  smniso  and  sunset, 
but  tlie  accommodation  at  the  few  stoppinij^-places 
Oil  tlie  beaten  track  is  quite  as  great  a  trial  to  the 
fastidious  AViiyfarers.  These  prairie  hotels  are 
the  rude  log-liouses  erected  by  settlers  who  add  to 
their  incomes  by  entertainino*  travellers.  Th-^y 
are  commonly  18  feet  long  by  16  feet  wide  and 
are  divided  liorizontally  into  two  parts.  On  tlio 
ground  floor  is  the  place  where  the  family  and  tho 
visitors  sit  and  take  the  meals  wliich  v.re  cooked 
in  a  stove  at  the  one  end,  the  stove  serving  the 
double  purpose  of  heating  the  house  and  affording 
the  rerpiisite  facilities  for  cooking.  In  the  npper 
story  the  occupants  of  the  house  pass  tlie  night. 
The  food  is  plain  and  simple  enough  to  satisfy 
the  greatest  foe  to  hi^-h  livino*.  consistiuix  of  fried 
salt  pork,  bread,  potatoes  and  tea.  Kggs  and 
milk  are  luxuries  rarely  obtainable,  ^^^ily  the 
settlers  do  not  rear  poultry  or  keep  cows  is  a 
qnestion  which  T  cannot  answer.  A  few  of  tlieni 
add  to  their  incomes,  not  only  by  entertaining  the 
strano'ers  who  present  themselves,  but  also  by 
levying  a  toll  upon  their  vehicles.  If  a  stream 
near  their  dwellings  be  difficult  to  fn'd,  or  if  tho 
"  trail"  l)e  in  good  condition  over  their  land,  they 
construct  a  rude  briili>e  across  the  stream  and 
make  the  persons   who  use  it  or  who  pass  over 


1   ; 


rw 


i* 


!!«^  IM  i 


I'  * 


254 


The  NortJi-  West  Territories. 


tlu'irliind  ]iaj25  cents  cficli.  I  found  tliat  smno  of 
llu'sc  astute  men  put  as  mucli  as  $50  weekly  into 
their  i)ockets  by  so  actinu*.  The  eniioTants  curse 
these  iuj posts,  but  they  have  citlier  to  pay  tliem  or 
submit  to  serious  inconvenience.  The  Govern- 
mcMit  ouo'jit  to  see  th;it  tlie  roads  arc  kept  in 
better  order  and  tliat  they  are  free  to  all  who  pass 
over  them.  I  was  told  that  the  Provincial  Govern- 
ment are  awakening  to  their  duty  in  this  respect. 
If  they  give  effect  to  their  praiseworth}^  intentions, 
many  a  settler  who  has  to  travel  over  the  prairie 
to  his  houiestoad,  and  to  whom  cverv  dollar  is 
pr(^cious,  will  grumljle  less  about  a  matter  which 
ou»>'ht  never  to  have  formed  one  of  his  troubles. 

Wlr'U  I  left  Winni[)eg  for  the  Far  West,  the 
first  place  at  which  I  halted  for  the  night  was 
Whitehorse  Plains  where  Mr.  House  combines 
farming  with  inid-ceeping.  He  has  been  twenty 
years  in  the  country  and  he  likes  it  ver}^  much. 
He  re<»'rets  the  i>'ood  old  days  when  o'ame  was 
])lentiful,  life  was  easy,  when  the  settlers  were 
few  in  nund)er  and  hunters  were  in  the  majority. 
The  road  betwe(>n  Winnipeg  and  Portage  la 
Prairie,  the  first  place  of  any  i!n[)ortance  on  the 
Western  road  and  about  70  miles  distant  from 
the  Capital,  is  worse  than  in  jiny  other  part  of 
the  country  I  have  visitcnl.  The  population  of 
Portage  is  lliOU.     It  is  the  most  westerly  place 


Royal  ConiDiissioncrs  in  Manitoba, 


23D 


li  the 
from 

lirt  of 
)n  of 
i)lace 


visited  by  }sl\\  Pell  and  ^Fr.  Tli>ndo,  tlu^  r(>]-)ivso!i- 
tfitives  of  tlio  lloval  ('Oirniiissioii  on  Aj^'riculturc^ 
during  tlieir  scampoi'  (hrou'^li  Manitoba.  I  found 
that  theso  gontlcMnon  li.-id  inaik^  a  (k'('|)  improssioii 
upon  tlioso  with  wlioni  they  came  into  contact. 
It  was  acbnitted  that,  if  tlioy  saw  but  little  of 
the  conntry,  they  wore  assiduous  in  ri(j;*orously 
questioning  everybody  they  met.  Jioth  gentK>- 
inen  expressed  themselves  greatly  struck  with 
what  they  saw  and  both  admitted  that  Manitoba 
was  a  wonderful  land.  Mr,  Ileade  embodied  his 
feelings  as  a  British  farmer  in  terms  Avhich  wei'o 
certainly  em[ihatic.  Being  asked  what  he 
thought  of  the  counti'y,  he  replied  that  he  re- 
garded it  in  the  same  light  that  a  lamb  does  the 
butcher.  It  is  imj)ossible  to  view  the  vast  ex- 
panse of  land  covered  with  crops  of  wheat  and  of 
a  stdl  larger  area  of  as  good  land  still  unculti- 
vated without  arriving  at  the  conclusion  that  the 
Manitoba  farmers,  who  pay  no  rent,  are  dangerous 
rivals  to  British  farmei's  who  both  pay  rent  aiul 
obtain  a  far  smaller  return  for  their  labour.  ^V\\^ 
avei'ao-e  yield  of  wheat  liei'e  is  thirty-five  bushels 
an  acre.  If  the  land  were  farmed  with  as  much 
care  as  is  the  rule  in  (Jreat  Brilaui,  the  3'ield 
could  be  nearlv  doubleti. 

The  Hudson  Bay  Company  have  a  stoi'c^  at  the 
western   division  of  Portage,  under  the  care  of 


-if 
■■'{ 
111  :i 

h  ! 


m 


i|l! 


■ 

H' 

1 

■ 

H< 

1 

1 

n 

■1 

i 

B 

\ 

tf 

fw 

'' 

si 

il 

2!;6 


77/6'  A^or//i-JJ\'si  Tcrrilorics. 


]\ri'.  riic(ofc.  I  found  liiin  ;i  ^\'c^ll-i^l^()rnuMl  and 
most  courteous  u'eutleiuiin  of  (jcnuau  ori<»"in.  I 
leariKMl  from  liiin  t1iat  tlio  supply  of  furs  has  not 
yet  f'allcMi  olF.  lie  told  lue  that  some  wild 
animals  are  more  jdentiful  now  tlian  before  the 
arrival  of  so  many  settlers ;  he  explained  this  by 
saying  that  tliese  animals  have  always  been  more 
numerous  in  particular  years  and  that  the  last 
two  years  are  remarkable  in  this  respect.  IMore- 
over,  the  hunters  use  more  ellectual  weapons  for 
kilUng  them  than  in  bygone  days,  so  tliat  tlie 
return  is  necessarily  larger.  It  is  obvious,  how- 
ever, that  the  fur-bearing:  animals  which  still 
abound  here  must  disappear  before  the  advance 
of  civilization. 

I  shall  not  mention  in  detail  all  the  places  at 
"whicli  I  halted  during  the  ten  days  that  I 
journeyed  tlirongh  the  North-West  Territory.  The 
farthest  point  I  reached  was  Rapid  City  wdiich, 
by  the  devious  route  I  followed,  is  200  miles  to 
the  west  of  Winnipeg.  The  weather  was  very 
bad  during  a  part  of  the  time  and  those  persons 
who  have  traversed  the  prairie  in  an  open  waggon 
■when  snow  or  rain  is  falling  will  not  wonder  that 
I  curtailed  my  journey.  I  could  not,  then,  visit  the 
young  and  aspiring  city  of  Gladstone  in  the 
townsliip  of  Palestine,  of  whicli  I  saw  a  plan 
representing    it    to    possess   many   fine  buildings 


yourualisin  at  Rapid  C  ity. 


'^57 


that 
it  the 

II   the 
[)hin 


and  pnrks,  hut  whicli,  like  otiicr  yonn(^  praii'io 
cities,  doiihtlos:^  looks  most  attractive  on  p;iper. 
Not  far  fi'o  it  is  the  township  of  Boaconsfiekl 
which  is  less  advanced  than  Gladstone  city.  h\ 
Beacon sfi eld  there  are  only  a  few  shanties  and  a 
post-ottice,  whereas  Gladstone  has  a  population 
largo  cnoujj^h  to  support  a  weekly  journal,  the 
Gladstone  News. 

Rapid  City  is  situated  on  tlio  Little  Saskat- 
chewan River  and  seems  destined  to  grow  in  size 
and  importance,  being  the  centre  of  a  s])lendid 
aofricultural  district.  It  was  two  vears  old  at  the 
time  of  my  visit.  I  counted  5  [<  houses  and  a 
saw  mill,  and  I  was  told  that  the  |)opulati()u 
numbered  4'00.  A  weekly  journal  the  Uapid  Clf)/ 
Enterprise,  after  a  life  of  six  mouths,  had  just 
ceased  to  appear  and  the  citizens  were  occupied 
in  devising  measures  for  supplying  a  successor  to 
it.  A  young  Canadian  journalist  arrived  at  the 
same  time  as  myself,  his  purpose  being  to  make 
an  arrano^ement  with  the  citizens.  It  was  ao^recnl 
that  he  shoStld  receive  a  l)oiius  of  .^500,  an  office 
rent  free  and  a  lot  of  land  in  a  good  situation,  in 
the  event  of  his  publishing  a  journal  f(H"  twelve 
months.  The  citizens  were  well  y)leased  with  the 
success  of  the  Show  of  the  Ra[)id  City  Agricultural 
Society,  the  first  which  had  been  held  and  ono 
which  they  were  glad  to  think  was  far  better  than 

S 


■  ;'' 


2=;8 


The  North-  West  Territories* 


%■ 


I 

i 


I  li 


i  it 


lii 


the  first  hold  in  tlio  City  of  AViiiniponr.  A  tlionnnncl 
visitors  rmiio  to  son  tlio  si^-lit  luid  tlio  articlos 
oxIiihitiMl  woi'o  hi,L>lily  crcMlitable  L'licy  cora- 
])i'is('(l  nil  tliosG  coininoiily  stvMi  at  AL,^ricultural 
l'Lxliil)iiioiis  and  some  which  would  not  be  found 
at  sucli  an  l^jxlijhition  in  Kno-land.  Tlio  latter 
consisted  of  articles  niainifactured  in  tlie  locality 
aTid  of  needknvoi'k,  prizes  boini^  offered  for  tlie  best 
set  of  horse-shoes  and  the  best  pair  of  j^'entlo- 
maii's  or  lady's  boots,  for  the  bi'st  panel  door 
and  window  sash  and  the  best  pair  of  woollen 
socks  and  mitts,  for  the  best  rug  or  mat  and  tlie 
best  sack  of  flour.  All  varieties  of  needlework, 
from  plain  sewing  to  the  most  elaborate  em- 
broidery, figured  in  the  prize  list.  I  thought  it 
perfectly  sensible  to  encourage  local  skill  in  all 
the  cases  where  it  can  be  turned  to  profitable 
account.  When  the  railway  is  open  the  articles 
which  have  now  to  be  made  on  the  spot,  will  be 
made  by  machinery,  and  though  brought  from  a 
distance,  "will  be  sold  at  a  lower  price  than  hand- 
made goods  produced  at  home.  It  does  credit  to 
the  managers  of  the  Show  that  they  offered  a 
special  ]iri/e  to  the  Indians  for  the  best  display 
of  agi'icultural  products. 

The  land  in  the  vicinity  of  Rapid  City  is  rolhing 
prairie  interspersed  with  small  lakes;  the  soil  is 
lighter  than  that  of  Manitoba,  yefc  it  is  nob  less 


Successful  Farmers. 


259 


])T()ilii('tivo.  Tliroe  miles  to  tlie  Soufcli-AVest  is 
*' tlio  Eiiij^lisli  r>('S(M'V(»"  a  trnct  of  land  covci'int*: 
12  miles  scjiiare  ami  cliiefly  occupii'd  by  immi- 
grants from  England.  I  visitcMl  somo  of  tlio 
farins  and  I  conversed  with  many  of  the  sel tiers. 
Several  bad  emigrated  with  too  little  capital, 
others  bad  done  so  under  the  delnsion  that  a 
knowledge  of  farming  was  not  essential,  and  both 
those  who  bad  too  little  money  and  too  little 
practical  knowledge  had  found  their  task  very 
severe.  But  I  beai-d  no  other  complaint  than 
one  to  the  effect  that  the  conntry  was  too  thinly 
peopled.  All  the  practical  farmers  had  done  well, 
having  reaped  large  crops  and  obtained  good 
prices  for  their  produce.  The  wheat  was  pro- 
nounced by  an  expert  who  accompanied  me  to  bo 
the  finest  he  bad  ever  seen.  An  Ontario  farmer, 
who  had  been  here  a  year  only,  was  enchanted  with 
the  conntry.  His  seed  sown  in  a  shallow  furrow 
on  the  wild  prairie  had  yielded  a  vast  increase. 
The  root  cro])S  surprised  him  most  of  all,  potatoes 
grown  on  the  prairie  sod  averaging  2  lbs.  in 
weight  and  turnips  from  15  to  20  lbs.  each.  Some 
of  the  farms  were  very  charming.  One  of  i-)20 
acres,  obtained  at  the  cost  of  ^"M.  by  a  Ifereford- 
sliire  farmer  wdio  had  left  England  owing  to  the 
failure  of  his  crops  in  1879,  was  everytliing  that 
any  one  could  desire.     A  small  lake  lay  in  front 

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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER, NY.  U580 

(7)6)  872-4503 


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o 


26o 


The  North-  West  Tei'ritoi'ics. 


m 


of  tlio  house;  a  few  trees  grew  close  at  hand, 
about  twenty  acres  had  been  sown  with  wheat,  a 
smaller  portion  had  been  devoted  to  root  crops. 
A  small  patch  before  the  door  had  been  sown 
witli  flower  seeds  brought  by  his  daughter  from 
the  old  home,  and  the  sight  of  the  flowers  wr.s  as 
delightful  to  my  eye  as  the  large  yields  of  grain 
and  vegetables.  More  luxuriant  mignonette  1 
never  saw  before ;  the  flowers  were  gigantic  and 
the  delicious  perfume  was  not  impaired  by  the 
size  of  the  plants.  I  was  so  struck  with  theso 
flowers  as  to  carry  away  specimens,  being  con- 
vinced that  they  were  as  curious  as  any  specimens 
of  agricultural  pioducts  and  quite  as  striking 
testimonies  to  the  goodness  of  the  soil  and 
climate.  If  the  settler  in  Manitoba  be  not  con- 
tented, he  has  but  to  migrate  to  the  North-West 
Territories  in  order  to  find  a  still  better  farming 
country.  There  is  plenty  of  room  for  all  comers 
in  these  Territories ;  they  cover  more  than  two 
and  a  half  million  square  miles.  A  low  estimate 
of  the  finest  land  available  for  settlement  shows 
that  there  is  ample  room  here  for  a  population 
three  times  larger  than  that  of  the  British  Isles. 

The  Hon.  David  Laird,  Governor  of  the  North- 
West  Territories,  was  on  a  tour  of  inspection 
during  my  visit,  and  I  had  the  gratification  of 
much  personal  intercourse  with  him.     lie  is  a 


w 


Home  of  the  Buffalo. 


261 


b  lianci, 
heat,  a 

crops. 
1  sown 
r  from 
wr.s  as 
f  grain 
lettc   I 
tic  and 
by  the 
I  tlicso 
g  con- 
cinieiis 
trikiiig 
il   and 
t  con- 
i-AVcst 
irniiiig 
•omers 
n  two 
tiniato 
shows 
ilation 
sles. 
J'orlh- 
cction 

on  of 
is  a 


native  of  Prince  Edward  Tshind  ;  he  admits  that 
the  fertile  soil  and  pleasant  climate  of  his  island 
homo  are  quite  matched  by  those  ol:  the  great 
country  over  which  he  is  now  placed  in  authority. 
He  even  thinks  that  Battleford,  the  capital  ol 
these  Territories,  is  healthier  than  that  of  any 
other  part  of  Canada.  Though  the  attention  of 
the  wcrld  has  been  concentrated  on  this  region 
owing  to  its  reputed  value  for  grain  producing, 
yet,  in  Governor  Laird's  opinion,  the  region  is 
even  better  adapted  for  reai-ing  cattle.  He  de- 
scribed a  tract  of  country  not  far  from  the  base 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains  which  has  long  been  the 
home  of  the  butl'alo,  and  which  is  unrivalled  for 
stock  rearing;  it  is  oGO  miles  long  by  100  broad; 
it  is  covered  with  rich  grasses,  and  the  climate  is 
so  temperate  that  cattle  can  remain  all  the  winter 
in  the  open  air  with  impunity.  Underneath  the 
soil,  throughout  the  whole  of  this  tract,  there  are 
beds  of  lignite  of  the  best  quality,  the  lignite 
burning  nearly  as  well  as  ordinary  coal. 

I  was  pleased  to  learn  that  the  Indians  are 
giving  no  further  trouble  than  to  make  appeals 
for  food  when  the  season  is  umisually  inclement. 
Some  of  these  Indians  are  setting  an  excellent 
example  to  their  l)rethren.  When  Governor 
Laird  went  to  Battleford  in  1877  he  found  a  body 
of  Crees,  numbering  GOO,  encamped  there.     He 


!  i 


2G2 


The  North'  West  Territories, 


])('rsii!i(l('!l  l;uMii  to  icave  ;i  ])lic'e  wliere  tlioy  liad 
IK)  ri'^hl  lo  riMiiiin,  :;nvl  to  settle  on  a  sp  )t  to  tlio 
south  Avliicli  bcloiigL'd  to  theiii.  The  Uov.  Mr. 
Chirk,  a  Church  of  L]ii^-land  missionary,  was 
lal)ourin<::»  auionuc  these  Crees.  lie  liad  o-aiiied 
their  confidence,  and  he  induced  tlieni  to  begin 
cultivatinfj;  tlie  soil.  lie  showed  them  liow  to  set 
to  work,  and  in  1 878  they  had  good  crops  of 
potatoes.  In  1879  they  had  crops  of  various 
sorts  of  vegetables  and  of  sonio  kinds  of  grain 
sufficient  to  provide  for  tlieir  wants,  and 
leave  them  a  surplus  to  sell.  Other  Indians 
are  copying  what  the  Crees  have  done,  and  it 
is  probable  that  the  experiment  so  successfully 
begun  on  a  small  scale  will  prove  of  inestimable 
benefit  to  the  Indians  as  a  body.  They  must 
cultivate  the  soil,  be  fed  by  the  Government 
or  starve.  Year  after  year  buffalo  are  growing 
scarcer.  Once  the  Indians  become  habituated  to 
tilling  the  soil,  they  will  give  even  less  trouble 
than  they  now  do  to  the  Canadian  Government. 

Out  of  consideration  for  the  Indians  and  in 
continuance  of  the  policy  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company,  the  sale  and  manufacture  of  intoxicants 
are  absolutely  prohil)ited  throughout  the  Xorth- 
AVest  Territories.  The  Governor-General  of  the 
Dominion  is  alone  empowered  to  give  a  licence 
for   manufacturing   intoxicants    there,  while  the 


Sale  of  Intoxicants  Prohibited. 


263 


loy  liad 
t  to  tlio 

y,    wa.s 

gaiiR'd 

)  b('G:in 

"f  to  set 

rops  of 

various 

f  grain 

S     and 

[ndians 

and  it 

}ssfully 

timable 

must 

[•nment 

rowinij 

ated  to 

rouble 

lent. 

md  in 

n   Bay 

:icant3 

Vortli- 

of  the 

icence 

Ic  tlio 


Lientenniit-Covernoi"  of  tlie  Territories  ni'iy  issue 
a  licence  alluwiiig  tlieni  to  be  sold  or  kept,  uikict 
th(5  condition  of  making  an  annual  return  to  tlio 
]\linister  of  the  Interior  of  the  licences  issued  and 
of  the  quantity  and  nature  of  the  intoxicants  to 
which  they  refer,  that  return  to  be  laid  before 
Parliament.  Owing  to  attempts  to  defeat  the 
operation  of  such  an  Act  the  definition  of  intoxi- 
cants is  made  to  include  every  conceivable  foi-m 
of  iutoxicatins:  beverajxe  or  solid  substance,  the 
words  of  the  Act  being :  '*  The  expression  '  intoxi- 
cating liquor'  shall  mean  and  include  all  spirits, 
strong  waters,  spirituous  li(|uors,  wines,  ft-r- 
mented  or  compounded  liquors  or  intoxicating 
fluids;  and  the  expression  'intoxicant'  shall 
include  opium  or  any  prei)aration  thei'eof,  and 
any  other  intoxicating  drug  or  substance,  and 
tobacco  or  tea  mixed,  compounded  or  impregnated 
with  opium,  or  with  any  other  intoxicating  drug, 
spirit  or  substance,  and  whether  th(;  same  or  any 
of  them  be  liquid  or  solid."     Though  not  himself 

a  total  abstainer  on  principle,  the  Governor  has 
become  one  duriu'r  his  term  of  office  on  the 
ground  that  he  could  not  well  enforce  the  Act  if 
he  made  himself  an  oxce[)tion  to  its  provisions. 
He  is  beset  with  applications  for  licences;  indeed, 
the  enforcement  of  the  law  against  the  use  of 
intoxicants  Gfivos  him  more  annovance  and  labour 
than  any  other  of  his  duties,  lie  thinks  the  [)ro- 
liibitive  system  works  well  on  the  wh.jle.   Whether 


\  I 


\ 


h 


264 


The  North'U'cst  Territories. 


U    s 


it  can  be  upheld  wlioii  the  country  is  more  densely 
populated  remains  to  bo  seen.  The  newly-arrived 
settlers  complain  bitterly  about  the  Act.  An 
English  farmer's  wife  told  me  that  she  missed  her 
glass  of  beer  at  dinner  more  than  anything  else, 
and  that  if  she  could  enjoy  it  again,  she  would  nob 
regret  having  left  her  old  home. 

At  present,  the  Governing  body  of  the  North- 
West  Territories  is  nominated  by  the  Governor- 
General  in  Council ;  provision  is  made,  however, 
for  the  nominated  being  transformed  into  an 
elected  body.  Whenever  any  district  of  1000 
square  miles  contains  a  population  of  not  less 
than  1000  adults,  exclusive  of  aliens  or  unenfran- 
chized  Indians,  the  Lieutenant-Governor  may  pro- 
claim it  an  Electoral  District  and  desire  the  peoplo 
to  return  a  representative.  Should  the  number 
of  adults  rise  to  2000  then  a  second  representa- 
tive may  be  returned.  AVhen  the  Council  shall 
consist  of  21  elected  members  then  it  shall  cease 
to  be  a  Council  and  will  become  the  Legislative 
Assembly  of  the  North- West  Territories.  This 
transformation  is  now  in  progress  and,  when  it  is 
completed,  it  will  be  seen  whether  the  people 
desire  to  continue  the  prohibitions  as  to  intoxicants 
which  are  now  imposed  upon  them  by  the  Dominion 
Parliament. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


I'i 


THE    CANADIAN    FAR   WEST. 

It  is  a  misfortune  that  the  most  widoly-rcad 
descriptions  of  the  vast  and  sparsely  peopled 
region  of  Canada,  extending  from  Lake  Superior  to 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  chiefly  relate  to  its  appear- 
ance in  the  winter  season.  Ilenco  the  notion 
prevails  that  the  "  Great  Lone  Land  "  is  an  illimit- 
able wilderness,  covered  with  snow  and  intersected 
with  frozen  rivers  over  which  peo})le  journey  on 
sledges  drawn  by  unruly  dogs.  All  countries  in 
the  temperate  zone  have  their  winter,  yet  it  pro- 
duces a  misleading  impression  to  depict  them  as 
if  the  winter  state  were  the  normal  one.  I  have 
seen  snow  lying  thickly  in  sunny  Provence  and 
in  the  Riviera  along  the  Mediterranean  which  is 
supposed  to  be  an  Earthly  Paradise,  and  I  have 
felt  the  cold  more  keenly  there  than  I  have  done 
when  Fahrenheit's  thermometer  indicated  20° 
below    zero    in   the   coldest   part   of   the    North 


I 


t 
I  i 


I 


tt^ 


266 


The  Canadian  Far  West. 


Arncrionn  Continent.  A  lesson  soon  learnt,  and 
not  rapidly  for^'otten  by  the  visitor  to  the  ])art  of 
North  America  where  the  winters  are  most  severe, 
is  that  tlio  position  of  mercury  in  a  thermometer 
is  no  criterion  of  the  cold  experienced.  iSo  loni^ 
as  tlie  air  is  still,  any  person  Avarmly  clad  is 
almost  insensible  to  cold.  When  the  tempera- 
ture is  at  the  lowest  point  in  ]\Ianitoba,  it  is  tlio 
rule  for  the  air  to  be  absolutely  still.  At  Pan,  in 
the  Pyrenees,  the  thermometer  frequently  falls 
far  lower  in  winter  than  at  Nice  on  the  ]\Iediter- 
ranean ;  but,  as  the  atmosphere  is  so  calip  at 
Pan  that,  for  days  or  weeks  together,  not  a 
breath  of  wind  stirs  the  witliered  leaves  on  the 
trees,  the  sensation  of  cold  is  much  less  than  in 
tlie  warmer  but  more  a(>-itated  air  of  Nice. 
During  a  Canadian  winter,  the  sky  is  clear  and 
the  sun  shines  brightly  day  after  day,  and  hence, 
though  the  mercury  may  be  very  lov/  and  tlie 
indicated  cold  very  great,  the  feeling  is  one  not 
of  depression  but  of  exhilaration,  and  the  fact  of 
the  cold  seems  to  be  forgotten.  Admiral  Sir 
George  Back  told  a  Select  Committee  of  the 
House  of  Commons  in  1857,  that  at  Fort  Reliance, 
near  the  iVrctic  Ocean,  he  had  seen  Fahrenheit's 
thermometer  indicate  70°  below  zero.  Beinnr 
asked  as  to  the  etTect  of  the  extreme  cold  on 
himself  and  his  party,  ho  rej)lied,  "I  cannot  say 


IVcstcrn  JVinkrs. 


267 


(1  on 
say 


tliat  our  licalth  was  affoctcd  (lifFercntlv  to  wliat 
it  would  bo  in  any  other  cxtronio  cold ;  perhaps 
tlio  appetite  was  considerably  increased." 

Professor  II.  Y.  Iliud,  beini^  questioned  on  the 
subject  of  climate  by  a  Comnuttec  of  the  Dominion 
House  of  Commons  in  187S,  said,  "  Tlie  winter 
cold  of  IManitoba  is  greater  tluni  the  winter 
cold  on  the  coast  of  Labrador.  ]5ut  it  is  a  dry 
uniform  cold,  and  it  is  very  far  less  inconvenient 
to  the  senses,  or  in  any  other  way,  than  tho 
moist  cold  of  Labrador."     Professor  IJrvco  of  tho 

Universitv  of  Manitoba,  efives  the  foUowinu*  coi'- 
roborative  testimony:  "  The  winters  of  the  A'orth- 
Wcst,  upon  the  Avhole,  are  agreeable  and  sinnnlarly 
steady.  The  mocassin  is  dry  and  comfortablo 
throughout,  and  no  thaw,  strictly  speaking,  takes 
place  till  spring,  no  matter  how  mild  the  weather 
may  be.  The  snow,  though  shallow,  wears  well, 
and  ditfers  greatly  from  eastern  snow.  Jts  flako 
is  dry  and  hard,  and  its  gritty  consistence  re- 
sembles white  slippery  sand  more  than  anytliing 
else.  Generally  speaking,  the  further  west  the 
shallower  the  snow,  and  the  rule  obtains  even 
into  the  heart  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  In 
south-eastern  Ontario  the  winter  is  milder,  no 
doubt,  than  at  Red  River ;  but  the  soil  of  tho 
North-West  beats  the  soil  of  Ontario  out  of 
comj)arison;  and  after  all,  who  would  cai'o  to 
exchange  the  crisp,  spaikling,  exhilarating  winter 
of  Manitoba  for  the  rawness  of  Essex  in  South 
Ontario  ?  " 


268 


The  Canadian  Far  IVcst^ 


i 


I 

I 


A  common  mistake  is  to  nssumn  tliat  what 
applies  to  ono  part  of  tlio  Canadian  Far  West  is 
true  of  tlio  whole.  No  man  can  speak  of  tlie 
whole  Ironi  personal  knowleclufe.  A  p^reat  part 
has  not  even  been  explored.  The  extent  of  this 
territory  is  so  vast  that  the  mind  cannot  form  a 
clear  concej:)tion  of  it  from  statistics.  To  say  that 
its  area  is  l-\704,-U0  square  miles  is  merely  to  set 
forth  large  figures.  A  clearer  and  more  striking 
idea  of  the  enormous  expanse  may  bo  formed 
when  I  add  that  it  is  seven  hundred  thousand 
pquarc  miles  larger  than  the  German  Empire, 
France,  Spain,  Italy  and  Russia  in  Europe  put 
togetluT.  These  countries  support  a  population 
exceeding  180,000,000.  In  the  Canadian  Far 
West,  the  population,  including  Indians,  is 
probably  nnder  200,000.  It  is  not  thonght  an 
extravagant  estimate  to  put  the  future  popu- 
lation of  this  territory,  when  it  shall  have  been 
rendered  easily  accessible,  and  when  its  advan- 
tajTfcs  have  exercised  their  full  effect  in  attracting^ 
settlers,  at  nearly  100,000,000.  Sanguine  ob- 
servers maintain  that  the  country  can  support  a 
population  of  twice  that  amount. 

A  territory  so  varst  is  exposed  to  varied  natural 
conditions.  The  fauna  and  flora  differ  m 
different  places ;  the  soil  is  not  everywhere  the 
same,  and  the  climate  is  as  diverse  as  the  soil. 


Clii)iati\  Soil  and  Minerals. 


269 


IS 

it  an 

)opu« 

been 

van- 


tural 

'    in 

the 

soil. 


Every  Imiulrcd  niili'S  to  tlio  west  of  AVinnipet^ 
tlu>re  is  an  iiierease  in  the  temperiiture  ini<l,  when 
the  ])art  is  reaehiMl  wliere  the  warm  wind  from 
the  Paeific — the  Cliiiiook  Jis  it  is  e.iUcd  locjilly— 
makes  its  mfhience  felt,  the  ehan,u,'e  in  tlie  eh  mate 
is  very  marked.  There  the  snowfall  is  hght. 
Indeed,  at  the  snninnt  of  the  YeUow  Jh-ad  puss 
throuj^h  the  Uoeky  Monntains,  snow  nieUs  as  it 
falls.  In  the  ji'nizinijf-ufronnd  at  the  eastern 
base  of  these  nionntains  cattle  remaiji  out  all 
■winter,  finding  their  own  food.  Kverythinf]^ 
necessary  for  the  sustenance  of  man  is  provided 
in  this  re<2^ion.  Farming  or  cattle-rearing  is  not 
the  only  industry  by  which  wealth  may  be  ac- 
quired. There  is  ample  scope  for  the  mincn*  and 
even  for  the  manufacturer.  Beds  of  li<2:nite  and 
ironstone  extend  over  hundreds  of  miles,  so  that 
a  little  enterprise  is  alone  wanted  for  the  esta- 
blishment of  iron  foundries  and  factories  of  all 
kinds  at  the  base  of  the  Kocky  iMountains. 

I  cannot  too  often  repeat  that  farmers  act 
unwisely  in  going  to  the  fertile  AVest,  unless 
they  can  get  their  ])roduce  conveyed  to  market  at 
a  low  price.  If  the  price  of  grain  be  very  low  at 
New  York  or  Liv(U'i)ool,  the  farmer  who  is  at  the 
furthest  point  from  either  })lace  is  at  the  greatest 
disadvantage.  The  price  which  he  ol)tains  for  his 
grain  is  lessened  by  the  cost  of  carrying  it  to 


2  70 


The  Caiiih/iim  Far  IP'csi, 


'■i\. 

i!  : 


market,  wliilo  his  own  outl:iy  in  growing  it  will 
bo  as  great  as  tliat  of  a  fai'nier  who  is  witiiin 
easy  reMcli  of  tlie  phuM;  of  sale.  It  is  certain  that, 
if  tlio  (^aiiadinn  F;ir  West  l)o  ])eoj)l('(l  in  pro- 
portion to  its  capaeity,  ;in<l  if  t!ie  population 
gi'ow  wheat  to  the  extent  that  is  possil)lo,  then 
tlio  conveyance  of  this  surplus  to  market  will  bo 
the  most  important  probhun  to  solve.  Farmers 
have  foun'^  in  the  United  States  that,  by  settling 
too  far  West,  the  cost  of  transport  eats  np  all  tho 
y)r()(it  which  they  would  make  by  growing  grain 
if  the  market  were  nearer  at  hand. 

Tho  Canadian  Far  W(^st  cannot  bo  fnlly 
peopled  until  it  is  more  accessible  to  immigrants; 
hence  it  is  that  tho  Canadian  Pacific  Ilailway  is 
imperatively  necessary.  Upon  tiiat  railway  tho 
agricultural  po[)r.lation  must  chiefly  depend  for 
transporting  their  produce  to  market.  There  is 
room  and  there  will  bo  employment  for  a  second 
trunk  line  two  hundred  miles  to  the  north  of  the 
one  now  in  course  of  construction.  An  inde- 
pendent line,  the  Sonth  AVestern,  is  to  run'  threo 
hundred  mih'S  west  of  Winni[)eg,  between  the 
boundary-line  and  the  Canadian  Pacific,  opening 
np  the  rich  country  in  what  is  called  the  Turtle 
Mountain  district. 

I  have  journeyed  over  several  hundred  miles  of 
the    Canadian    Pacific    between    "Winnipeg   and 


Sir  George  Si/t//>so/i's  Prophecy, 


271 


TlinTKVr  T>ay  mid  I  wms  iiiipn^ssod  witli  tlu^ 
aclvaiitiii^o  oF  tlio  lino  for  (Icvclopiiis^  local,  as  well 
as  for  ut'coiMino(latiii_L(  tlii"ou<^1i  trallic.  This  ])irb 
of  till'  country  lias  attracted  less  notice  of  lato 
than  the  "NVcslci'n  ])rairIo  land.  It  is  a  rcfj^ion  of 
lakes  and  wood,  intersper-sed  with  tracts  of  fertile 
soil  where  crops  could  bo  grown,  and  expanses  of 
meadow  whereon  cattle  could  be  "f^'ii'ed.  In 
several  parts  mineral  discoveries  of  importanco 
have  been  made.  I  saw  specimens  nf  gold  ([iiart/. 
taken  from  an  island  in  one  of  the  lakes.  T  was 
told  tliid  an  abundance  of  quartz  ecjuallv  lich  had 
been  found;  if  it  bo  true  that  quant itios  of  (piartz 
rich  in  visible  gold  are  obtainable,  then  gold 
mining  will  becon^c  a  most  remunerative  industrv 
here.  This,  added  to  its  other  advantages,  will 
lead  to  the  peopling  of  the  region  between  T-ako 
Superior  and  Winnipeg  quite  as  rapidly  as  that 
of  the  agi'icidtural  region  farther  Avest.  lb  may 
be  that  the  prophecy  made  by  Sir  George 
Simpson  in  1811,  after  he  had  been  twenty  years 
Governor  of  the  Hudson  Bay  territory,  may  be 
speedily  fulfdled,  a  prophecy  whioh,  it  is  fair  to 
add,  ho  stated  in  1857  was  made  in  a  fir.  of 
enthusiasm.  AVritiiig  .ibout  Rainy  Itiver  which 
connects  the  Lalce  of  that  name  with  the  L:iko  of 
the  Woods,  Sir  George  stated  : — "  From  Port 
Frances    downwards,    a    stretch   of   nearly    ono 


272 


The  Canadian  Far  West, 


"hundred  miles,  it  is  not  interrupted  by  a  singlo 
impediment,  while  yet  the  current  is  not  strong' 
enough  materially  to  retard  an  ascending 
traveller.  Nor  are  the  banks  less  favourable 
to  agriculture  than  the  waters  themselves  to 
navigation,  resembling,  in  some  measure,  those 
of  the  Thames  near  Richmond.  From  the  very 
brink  of  the  river,  there  rises  a  gentle  slope  of 
greensward,  crowned  in  many  places  with  a 
plentiful  growth  of  birch,  poplar,  beecli,  elm  and 
oak.  Is  it  too  much  for  the  eye  of  philanthropy 
to  discern,  through  the  vista  of  futurity,  tliis 
noble  stream,  connecting,  as  it  does,  the  fertile 
shores  of  two  spacious  lakes,  with  crowded 
steamboats  on  its  bosom,  and  populous  towns  on 
its  borders  P  " 

The  impression  made  upon  me  when  I  passed 

over  nearly  a  hundred  miles   of  the  line  to  tho 

West    of   Winnipeg   was   that   there,   too,   local 

traffic  would  be  developed.     The  total  length  of 

line   required  to   connect  the  present   Canadian 

railways   with  the  Pacific  ocean  is  2G27  miles. 

The  struggle  over  the  choice  of  routes,  and  over 

the   way  in  which  to  carry  out  the  undertaking, 

has   been  protracted  and    severe.     A   Syndicate 

has   been   entrusted   with   the  execution   of  the 

gigantic  work.     The  conditions  under  which  the 

Syndicate  enters  upon  its  labours  were  thus  set 

forth  in  the  Dominion  Parliament  by  Sir  Charles 

Tupper,  Minister  of  Railways  :  "  For  that  portion 


■ 


1 


Canadian  Pacific  Railway, 


2/3 


tlie 

the 

set 

irlos 

'tion 


of  the  line  from  Fort  AVilliam  to  Selkirk,  410 
miles,  the  Pembina  branch,  85  miles,  and  that 
portion  from  Kamloops  to  Burrard  Inlet,  217 
miles — all  of  which,  amount  in  <?  to  712  miles  when 
the  line  is  completed,  is  to  be  handed  over  as  the 
property  of  the  Company.  The  total  amount 
expended  and  to  be  expended  by  the  Govern- 
ment, including  everything,  is  28  million  dollars. 
For  the  construction  of  the  road  from  Lake 
Kipissing  to  Fort  William,  G50  miles,  and 
from  Selkirk  to  Kamloops,  1;3-jO  miles — 2000 
miles  in  all — the  Government  have  agreed  to  pay, 
in  addition  to  the  28  millions,  25  million  dollars 
and  25  million  acres  of  land  ;  making  a  total 
subsidy,  in  cash,  of  53  millions,  and  in  land 
estimating  the  25  million  acres  at  the  same  rate 
that  I  liave  estimated  the  land  under  the  contract 
of  1878,  and  under  the  estimate  of  the  Act  of 
187-i,  one  dollar  an  acre,  of  25  million  dollars,  or 
a  total  amount  to  be  expended  by  Cauada  for  the 
construction  of  the  Canadian  Paciiic  Railway  of 
78  million  dollars." 

While  the  Cauadian  Pacific  Railway  will  shorten 
the  journey  between  Liverpool  and  Yokohama  or 
Hong  Kong,  and  wdiile  it  will  both  link  together 
the  Provinces  of  the  Dominion  and  aid  in  deve- 
loping their  resources,  it  will  not  entirely  solve 
the  problem  of  transporting  agricultural  prodiice 
at  the  chea})est  rate  from  the  Cinadian  Far  West 
to  Europe.  In  the  United  States  the  route  by 
way  of  the  Mississippi  has  an  enormous  advantage 

T 


2/4 


The  Canadia7i  Far  West, 


I? 


i:    .fl 


'''f: 


lis  4 


over  any  other;  -wlioat  can  bo  carried  from  St. 
Paul,  tlie  capital  of  Minnesota,  down  the  Missis- 
sippi in  barges  to  New  Orleans,  wliere  it  is  trans- 
ferred to  steamers  bound  for  Ghisgow,  at  38  cents 
a  bushel.  It  on'ght  to  bo  possible  to  sell  this  wheat 
on  arriving  at  its  destination  at  a  lower  price  than 
the  prevailing  one.  With  the  great  river  as  a 
silent  and  easy  highway,  the  farmers  in  the 
Mississippi  Valley  can  successfully  compete  with 
farmers  in  other  parts  of  the  Union. 

Ill  the  important  matter  of  water-carriage  the 
farmer  in  the  Canadian  Far  "West  has  unrivalled 
advantages.  The  navigable  rivers  cover  a  dis- 
tance of  11,000  miles,  of  which  4000  only  have  as 
yet  been  turned  to  account.  The  distance  from 
Winnipeg  to  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Lawrence  is 
2500  miles,  and  the  transit  of  bulky  articles  over 
this  intervening  space  would  be  costly.  But,  if 
instead  of  choosing:  the  route  of  the  St.  Lawrence 
as  the  outlet  to  the  Atlantic,  the  route  by  Hudson 
Bay  be  chosen,  then  Winnipeg  may  be  brought 
within  two  days'  journo}'-  by  rail  and  water  from 
the  sea. 

For  two  centuries  the  Hudson  Bay  Company 
sent  their  stores  into  what  is  now  the  Canadian 
Far  AVest,  and  took  their  furs  out  of  it  in  sailinir 
ships  which  plied  between  England  and  the  Bay. 
The  Kelson  River  connects  Lake  Winnipeg  with 


)aTiy 
tdiiin 
'ling 
lay. 
with 


Hudson  Bay  Route, 


275 


TTiulson  "Bay ;  it  is  a  vast  stream,  draining  an  area 
of  300,000  square  miles,  and  is  six  miles  wide  at 
its  moutli.  Tliereare  impediments  totliecontinuous 
navigation  of  the  river  by  largo  vessels,  but  tlieso 
have  not  hindered  canoes  being  used  for  the  pur- 
pose. It  is  proposed,  however,  to  make  a  railway 
over  the  370  miles  which  intervene  between  the 
lower  part  of  Lake  Winnipeg  and  the  mouth  of 
the  Nelson  River.  Grain  could  be  stored  at 
Port  Nelson  and  conveyed  to  England  in  steamers 
during  the  season  of  navigation.  Professor 
Hind  considers  "  the  head  of  tide- water  in  Nelson 
Eiver  may  yet  become  the  seat  of  the  Archangc?! 
of  Central  British  America,  and  the  great  and 
ancient  Russian  northern  port — at  one  time  the 
sole  outlet  of  that  vast  empire — find  its  parallel 
in  Hudson  Bay."  The  water-route  by  Nelson  or 
Hayes  River  from  Hudson  Bay  to  the  interior  has 
proved  available  for  the  purposes  of  trade  since 
the  incorporation  of  the  Company  in  1670.  In 
18 16  the  route  was  used  to  convey  troops  and  found 
suitable.  A  force  consisting  of  a  wing  of  the  Gth 
Foot,  a  detachment  of  Artillery  and  a  detachment 
of  Royal  Engineers,  with  one  9-pounder  and  three 
6-pounders  and  numbering  18  officers,  329  men, 
17  women  and  19  children,  made  the  journey  by 
boat  from  Hudson  Bay  to  Red  River  in  about  30 
days.     Colonel  Crofton,  who  was   in    command, 

T  2 


276 


The  Canadian  Far  West, 


I 


made  the  journey  in  seven  clays'  less  time.  The 
current  beinfj  strong,  it  takes  far  loiiji'er  to  make 
the  journey  up  stream ;  inehiding  stoppages  it 
has  been  made  down  stream,  in  loaded  boats, 
within  nine  days.  If  steam  launclies  were  substi- 
tuted for  the  boats  propelled  by  hand,  the  time 
■would  be  decreased.  But  it  is  proposed  to  dispense 
with  the  river  altogether,  and  to  make  a  narrow 
gauge  railway  from  the  northern  end  of  Lake 
Winnipeg  to  Hudson  Bay  and  a  charter  has  been 
granted  for  such  a  railway.  There  is  a  diiference 
of  opinion  whether  Fort  Churchill  may  not  be 
a  preferable  port  to  Port  Nelson.  But  there  is 
agreement  as  to  the  feasibility  of  reopening  com- 
munication between  England  and  the  Canadian 
Far  West  by  way  of  Hudson  Bay. 

It  is  true  that  the  navigation  of  Hudson  Bay  is 
only  open  for  steamers  during  five  months  in 
each  year,  yet,  dui'ing  that  time,  it  would  be  easy 
to  export  all  the  produce  which  may  be  destined 
for  the  markets  of  Europe,  and  to  import  all  the 
goods  which  might  be  required  in  exchange. 
The  distance  from  Port  Xelson  to  Liverpool  is 
nearly  a  hundred  miles  less  than  from  New  York. 
It  is  estimated  tliat  when  steamers  shall  ply 
between  Hudson  Bav  and  tlie  Mersev,  the  Clvde 
or  the  Thames,  it  will  be  possible  to  sell  Mani- 
toba wheat  in  the  L^nited  Kingdom  at  28^^.  a 
quarter  and  to  do  so  at  as  large  a  profit  as  that 


1-. 


Rival  Rca-ions. 


277 


ige. 


a 
hat 


now  obtained  from  tlie  sale  of  Unitec]  States 
wheat  at  48.s'.  Should  that  day  arrive  the  British 
farmer  must  renounce  growiiif]^  wheat;  he  can 
barely  hold  his  own  now  with  his  rival  in  the 
United  States ;  he  cannot  possibly  compete  here- 
after with  his  brother  in  IManitoba.  It  may  then 
be  found  that  the  desperate  struggle  in  progress 
between  farmers  in  this  country  and  their  com- 
petitors across  the  Atlantic  will  arise  between  the 
farmers  on  the  opposite  sides  of  the  bonndary- 
line  in  North  America.  The  Manitoba  farmer 
will  hereafter  be  able  to  defy  rivalry  in  the 
markets  of  Europe. 

No  question  is  more  fiercely  debated  than  the 
relative  advantages  of  different  parts  of  the  North 
American  Continent.  If  a  stranu'cr  to  the 
country  listened  to  the  evidence  adduced  in 
favour  of  a  particular  State  in  the  Union,  or  a 
particular  Province  of  Canada  to  the  exclusion 
of  any  other  State  or  Province,  he  would  think 
that  a  conclusive  case  had  been  made  out. 
Should  he  listen  to  the  statements  made  about  all 
of  them,  he  will  be  cither  completely  puzzled  or 
remarkably  acute  in  sifting  and  weighing  facts. 
Instead  of  giving  my  own  conclusion  concerning 
the  Canadian  Far  West  as  a  place  for  settlers,  I  shall 
cite  the  conclusion  of  a  thoroughly  competent  and 
impartial  investigator,  who  has  long  studied  the 
matter  on  the  spot  and  v-^ho  is  justly  regarded  as 


1 


27S 


The  Canadian  Far  West. 


,j  sr: 


an  autliority.  This  is  Mr.  J.  W.  Taylor,  tlio 
United  States  Consnl  at  AVinnipeg,  who  has 
served  his  country  there  since  ]870.  Like  all 
his  countrymen,  he  is  a  firm  believer  in  the  great 
destiny  reserved  for  the  United  States,  yet  his 
patriotism  has  not  blinded  him  to  the  attractions 
and  resources  of  the  part  of  the  Canadian 
Dominion  wherein  he  resides. 

Mr.  Taylor's  opinion,  enunciated  in  many 
speeches  and  writings,  is  that  the  North  American 
Continent  is  divisible  into  three  zones,  the  southern 
being  the  Cotton-growing  zone,  the  mid-zon  being 
specially  adapted  for  the  growth  of  Indian  corn, 
and  the  northern  for  the  production  of  wheat. 
He  holds  that  the  mid-zone  extends  to  Southern 
Minnesota :  he  stated  in  a  public  speech  "  that 
three-fourths  of  the  wdieat-producing  belt  w^ould 
be  north  of  the  International  boundary."  In  a 
letter  to  the  Vioncer  Press  of  Saint  Paul,  he  gave 
the  following  reasons,  among  others,  upon  which 
he  based  his  conclusion:  "In  1871,  ]\rr.  Archi- 
bald, the  well-known  proprietor  of  the  Dundas 
]\Iills,  in  Southern  Minnesota,  visited  Manitoba. 
lie  remarked  tliat  the  spring  wheat  in  his  vicinity 
was  deteriorating — softening,  and  he  sought  a 
change  of  seed,  to  restore  its  flinty  texture.  lie 
timed  his  visit  to  Winnipeg  with  tlie  harvest  and 
found  the  quality  of  grain  he  desii'ed,  but  the 
yield  astonished  him.      '  Look,'  said  he,   with  a 


Perfect  Wheat  Plants. 


279 


the 
lias 


Lend  of  wlient  in  liis  luuul ;  '  we  liavc  Imd  an  cx- 
cell(.Mit  harvest  in  i\Iinnesota,  bnt  1  never  saw 
more  than  two  well-foi;nud  «i^rains  in  eacli  nroup 
or  cluster,  forming  a  row,  iMit  hero  the  rule  is 
three  grains  in  each  cluster.  TJiat's  the  difference 
between  twenty  and  tliirfy  bushels  per  acre.' 
More  recently,  Professor  Maccoun,  the  botanist 
of  the  Pacific  Railway  Snrvey,  has  sliown  me  two 
heads  of  wheat,  one  from  Prince  Albert,  a  settle- 
ment near  the  forks  of  the  Saskatchewan,  latitude 
63  degrees,  longitude  lOG  degrees,  and  another 
from  Fort  Vermillion,  on  Peace  River,  latitnde 
59  degrees,  longitude  11 G  degrees,  and  from  each 
cluster  of  the  two  I  separated  five  well-formed 
grains,  with  a  correspondmg  length  of  the  head. 
Here  was  the  perfection  of  the  wheat  plant, 
attained  according  to  the  well-known  physical 
law,  near  the  most  northern  limit  of  its  snccessful 
growth.  Permit  me  another  illustrati(m  on  the 
testimony  of  ProCessor  Maccoun.  When  at  a 
Hudson  Bay  post  of  the  region  in  question  — 
either  Fort  McMurray,  in  latitude  57  degrees,  or 
Fort  Vermillion  in  latitude  59  degrees,  and  about 
the  longitude  of  Great  Salt  Lake,  an  employee  of 
the  post  invited  him  to  inspect  a  strange  plant 
in  his  garden,  grown  from  a  few  seeds  never 
before  seen  in  that  locality.  He  found  cucumber 
vines  phmted  in  April  in  the  open  ground,  and 
with  the  fruit  ripened  on  the  20th  of  August." 

There  is  a  physical  cause  why  wdieat  grown  in 
the  northern  region  of  Manitoba  should  be  su- 
perior to  that  grown  in  the  United  States  to  the 


2  So 


The  Canadian  Far  West. 


1 


m 


I 


soutli  of  it.  The  nearer  the  northerly  limit 
at  which  wlieat  will  grow,  the  finer  is  its 
quality.  At  the  northern  limit  of  its  growth  on 
this  Continent,  not  only  is  the  soil  adapted  for  it, 
but  the  duration  of  sunshine  is  lono:est  there  when 
the  cars  are  ripening.  From  the  loth  of  Juno 
till  the  1st  of  July  nearly  two  hours  more  dayhght 
prevail  in  northern  Manitoba  than  in  the  State  of 
Ohio.  It  is  not  heat  alone  which  is  required  to 
bring  the  wheat  plant  to  perfection  even  in  places 
where  the  soil  is  best  adapted  for  its  growth. 
Tiiis  is  true  of  all  grain  as  well  as  of  all  vegetables. 
Other  conditions  being  present,  the  greater  the 
amount  of  solar  light  the  better  the  result.  Now, 
wlieat  grown  in  the  Canadian  North-AVest  is 
grown  imder  incomparable  advantages  wnth  re- 
spect to  the  length  of  sunlight ;  hence,  that  wheat 
is  of  the  hardest  description,  is  adapted  for  pro- 
ducing the  very  finest  flour  and  is  certain  to  prove 
the  most  remunerative  crop.  The  acreage  suited 
for  the  growth  of  wheat  in  this  region  is  large 
enough  to  furnish  bread  for  the  whole  of  Europe. 


ii  ^ 


II. 

The  facts  which  crm  be  adduced  in  support  of 
the  Canadian  Far  West  being  second  to  no  part 
of  the  Northern  American  Continent  cannot  be 
gainsaid.    It  does  not  follow,  however,  that  every 


The  "  Land  of  Misery T 


281 


LPOfe 


'tof 
part 
t  be 
'■cry 


settler  tlicrc  is  entirely  liappy.  Many  settlers  tiave 
failed  to  profit  by  tlieir  opportunities.  Some  liave 
expected  too  niueli ;  others  are  unsuccessful  be- 
cause they  do  too  little.  There  is  no  roy.al  road 
to  fortune  in  any  new  land.  In  the  fairest  spot 
on  the  earth  the  hardest  worker  will  reap  the 
richest  harvest,  while  the  idler  will  be  unable  to 
earn  a  living.  Last  year,  the  ^cw  York  Herald 
gave  publicity  to  letters  from  settlers  in  Manitoba 
who  complained  that  the  country  was  utterly  un- 
fitted for  cultivation.  That  enterprising  journal 
thereupon  dubbed  it  the  "  Land  of  JMisery."  If 
the  early  settlers  in  Virginia  and  New  England 
had  been  men  of  the  same  calibre  as  these 
grumblers,  they  would  never  have  developed  the 
resources  of  Viro^inia  or  made  New  E no-land  the 
home  of  a  prosperous  community.  The  first 
comers  in  any  undeveloped  country  are  like  the 
first  occupants  of  a  new  house.  The  house  may 
be  well  built,  yet  it  lacks  innumerable  appliances 
which  render  it  a  comfortable  dwellinof.  The 
next  tenants  find  it  far  better  fitted  for  occupation 
than  their  predecessors,  and  every  succeeding 
dweller  in  it  profits  by  something  which  has  been 
added  to  render  it  more  habitable.  So  with  land 
which  may  be  capable  of  growing  crops  and  feed- 
ing millions,  but  which,  in  its  virgin  state,  is  little 
better  than- a  desert.     The  next  generation  will 


\k\ 


2o2 


The  Canadian  Far  West, 


find  tlio  Canadian  Far  West  a  very  dllTorcnfc 
country  from  what  it  is  to-day.  ^[arslies  will 
liavc  boon  drained,  roads  will  have  been  made, 
railways  will  be  in  operation;  the  soil  w^ill  yield 
more  abundantlv,  and  the  labour  of  livinnf  will  bo 
lightened.  AVlien  its  irdiabitants  hereafter  read 
that  it  was  once  styled  the  '*  Land  of  Misery," 
thvj  will  marvel  at  the  credulity,  or  the  ignorance 
which  dictated  the  phrase. 

Eulog}'- fror.i  those  personally  interested,  cannot 
permanently  render  a  tract  of  country,  which  is 
naturally  unsuitable  for  human  beings,  a  pleasant 
land  wherein  to  dwell,  nor  will  depreciation  on  the 
part  of  the  envious  or  uninformed  hinder  a  tract, 
possessing  every  advantage  which  Nature  can 
confer,  from  being  appreciated  and  developed. 
Unless  the  Canadian  Far  West  possess  all  the 
charms  which  retain  as  well  as  attract  settlers, 
it  will  relapse  into  a  w^ilderness  over  which 
the  savage  will  again  roam  and  the  wild  beast 
multiply.  I  have  no  apprehension  as  to  its 
future.  My  opinion  is  based  upon  what  I  have 
beheld.  I  admit  that  persons  who  implicitly 
trust  the  fascinating  tales  circulated  by  specu- 
lators in  land  maybe  grievously  disappointed.  It 
is  as  hazardous  to  buy  land  anywhere  without 
personal  inspection,  as  it  is  for  a  person  who  has 
no  special  knowledge  of  horseflesh  or  art  to  rely 


A  Terrestrial  Paradise. 


2S3 


fforcnt 
IS  will 
made, 
11  yield 
will  bo 
r  read 
isery,'* 
oraiico 

cannot 
liieli  is 
leasant 
on  the 
a  tract, 
re   can 
eloped. 
11    the 
t  tiers, 
wliich 
beast 
to   its 
.  have 
plicitly 
specu- 
d.     It 
thoufc 
ho  has 
:o  rely 


a 


upon  the  asstiranco  of  a  speculator  in  horses  or 
pictures.  In  North  America,  it  is  easier  to  buy 
land  than  to  sell  it.  The  risk  is  diminished  when 
tlio  purchaser  of  land  in  the  Canadian  Far  West 
deals  with  respectable  and  responsible  bodies  liko 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company  or  the  Pacific  Railway 
Syndicate,  3"et  in  all  cases,  the  purchaser  ought  to 
examine  his  bargain  before  ])aying  his  money. 
He  will  display  both  shrewdness  and  prudence 
should  he  vitiit  the  Homestead  of  ICO  acrcjs,  which 
he  obtains  as  a  free  grant  from  the  Government, 
before  occupying  it. 

The  predominant  feeling  in  my  breast  as  I 
traversed  a  pai'tof  what  the  late  Earl  Beacon sfield 
termed  the  "  illimitable  wilderness  "  of  Western 
Canada  was  deep  regret  that  such  a  region  should 
remain  untenanted  by  busy  men.  There,  year 
after  year  the  summer  sun  floods  wdth  warmth 
millions  of  acres  where  beautiful  praiiie  flowers 
bloom  and  wither,  and  nutritious  grasses  spring  up 
and  decay.  The  snows  of  winter  cover  the  earth 
with  a  garment  wliich,  though  apparently  a  cold 
shroud,  is  reallj''  a  warm  mantle.  Game  breeds  and 
dies  without  yielding  food  to  more  than  a  lew 
hunters.  Fish  spawn  and  fill  the  lakes  and  rivers 
without  being  utilized  to  vai y  or  constitute  the  sub- 
sistence of  more  thanafew  Indians.  When  I  thought 
of  the  millions  of  people  who  might  be  fed  and  rear 


i  '*, 


\i\ 


• 


. :   ''* 


2S4 


T/ie  Canadian  Far  West. 


families  on  tlie  nntroddon  prnirioi^,  and  enjoy  tlio 
game  and  tlio  fish  whicli  cnboiind,  it  saddentMl  mo 
to  contemplate  the  neglect  with  whicli  Nature's 
banquet  was  treated.  And  the  sadness  deepened 
when  I  reflected  how  many  landless  millions  in 
Europe  were  struggling  for  the  necessaries  of 
life,  or  were  longing  to  be  the  possessors  of  land 
which  they  might  call  their  own,  whilst  food 
was  easily  procurable  here  by  all  wdio  might  desire 
it,  and  land  could  be  had  for  the  asking  by  all 
comers.  I  have  seen  a  large  part  of  the  North 
.American  Continent.  I  have  marvelled  at  the 
enterprise  which  has  converted  so  nmch  of  it  from 
a  wilderness  into  a  garden.  No  other  tract  can  so 
easily  undergo  the  same  transformation  as  the 
Canadian  Far  West.  I  cannot  believe  that  it  will 
long  remain  unappreciated  and  nnpeopled. 

The  result  of  the  settlement  of  the  Canadian 
Far  AVest  will  be  of  paramount  importance  in 
shaping  the  destiny  of  Canada.  Many  persons 
speculate  as  to  the  future  of  the  Dominion.  The 
theme  is  a  tempting  one,  but  its  adequate  discus- 
sion is  not  easy.  Confederation  dates  from  the 
year  1867;  the  Dominion,  as  now  constituted, 
dates  from  the  accession  of  Prince  Edward  Island 
in  1873.  The  settlement  of  Manitoba,  the  con- 
struction of  the  Pacific  Railway,  the  opening  of 
steam  navigation  through  Hudson  Bay  to  Europe, 


Canada  s  Future. 


2S:; 


tho 


uted, 
[sland 


con- 


moT 


of 


are  clomonts  of  the  greatest  moment  in  determin- 
ing the  destiny  of  Cunada,  and  several  years  must 
yet  elapse  before  the  intluenco  of  these  elements 
is  apparent.  Men  for  whom  I  have  the  highest 
respect  have  pronounced  incorporation  with  tho 
United  States  to  be  Canada's  inevitable  fate.  In 
such  a  matter  as  this  I  hold  prediction  to  bo 
wholly  vain.  It  would  not  bo  hard  to  frame  a 
plausiblf^  argument  to  the  effect  that  the  "  miinifest 
destiny  of  Switzerland  was  to  be  absorbed  by 
adjacent  and  more  powerful  countries ;  yet  the 
Swiss  entertain  no  donbt  about  preserving  their  in- 
dependence and  they  consider  that  they  are  fidly 
warranted  in  so  doing.  It  is  clear  to  niy  mind  that 
the  future  of  Canada  is  in  the  hands  of  tho  Cana- 
dians. Upon  them  rests  the  responsibility,  and  with 
them  is  the  opportunity  of  shaping  the  issues  which 
determine  their  destiny.  A  heavier  responsibility  or 
a  grander  opportunity  never  fell  to  the  lot  of  a 
people.  Should  tliey  fail  in  making  Canada  what 
it  may  become,  the  fault  will  bo  their  own  and  not 
that  of  theur  magnificent  Far  West  which,  in 
all  physical  advantages  and  potentialities,  cannot 
easily  be  matched  and  cannot  anywhere  be  sur- 
passed. 


irope, 


il 


u 


m 


SUPPLEMENTAUY  CHAPTKR. 

WEEDS    IN    NORTH    AMERICA. 

All  visitors  to  North  America  must  have  marvelled 
at  the  luxuriance  of  the  weeds  along  every  roadside. 
Their  number  is  very  great  and  they  are  often 
very  beautiful.  I  wishod  to  write  something  about 
them  when  I  met  with  the  following  article  in  the 
Union  Advocate  of  Newcastle,  New  Brunswiclc.  I 
think  that  the  readers  of  this  volume  will  approve 
of  my  reprinting  the  article,  and  thus  enabling 
them  to  share  in  the  pleasure  with  which  I  perused 
it  and  to  obtaiu  the  information  of  which  it  is  full. 
*'  The  walker  makes  the  acquaintance  of  all  the 
weeds.  They  are  travellers  like  himself,  the 
tramps  of  the  vegetable  world.  They  are  going 
east,  west,  north,  south  ;  they  walk,  they  fly,  they 
swim,  they  steal  a  ride,  they  travel  by  rail,  by 
flood,  by  wind  ;  they  go  underground,  and  they  go 
above,  across  lots  and  l)y  the  highway.  But,  like 
other  tramps,  they  find  it  safest  by  the  highway ; 
in  the  fields  they  are  intercepted  and  cut  off,  but 


Weeds  in  North  America. 


2S7 


•veiled 

Lflsicle. 

!  often 
about 
in  the 
clc.  I 
I prove 

labling 
n'used 
is  full. 

ill  the 
the 
going 
S  they 
jil  by 
[ley  go 
'hko 


but 


on  the  public  road,  every  boy,  every  passing  herd 
of  sheep  or  cows  gives  them  a  lift. 

"  Oui'S  is  a  very  weedy  country  because  it  is  a 
roomy  country.     Weeds  love  a  wide  margin,  and 
they  find  it  here.     You  shall   see  more  weeds  in 
one  day's  travel  in  this  country  than  in  a  week's 
journey  in  Europe.     Our  cultnre  of  the  soil  is  not 
so  close  and    thorough,  our   occupancy    not    so 
entire  and  exclusive.     The  weeds  take  up  with 
the  farmers'  leavings,  and  find  good  fare.     One 
may  see  a  large  slice  taken  from  a  field  by  elecam- 
pane, or  by  teasel,  or  by  milk-weed ;  whole  pas- 
tures given  up   to  white- weed,  golden-rod,  wild 
carrots,  or  ox-eye  daisies  ;  meadov/s  overran  with 
boar-weed,  and    sheep  pastui'cs  nearly  ruined  by 
St.  John's  wort  or  the  Canada  thistle.  Our  farms 
are  so  large  and   our  husbandly  so  loose  that  we 
do  not  mind  these  things.     By  and  by  we  shall 
clean  them  out.     Weeds  seem  to  thrive  here  as 
in  no  other  country.     When  Sir  Josepli  Hooker 
landed  in  New  England  a  few  years  ago,  he  Avas 
surprised    to     find    how    the    European    plants 
flourished  there.  He  found  the  wild  chicory  grow- 
ing far  more  luxuriantly  than  he  had  ever  seen  it 
elsewhere,  '  foi'ming  a  tangled  mass  of  stems  and 
branches,  studded  with  torquoiso  blue  blossoms, 
and  covering  acres  of  ground.'     This  is  one  of 
the  weeds  that   Emerson  puts  in  his  bouquet,  in 
his  '  Humble-bee  ' — 

*  feuccoiy  to  rnatcli  tlie  sky.* 
"  Is  there  not  something  in  our  soil  and  climate 


288 


I  Feeds  in  North  America, 


exceptionally  frivonrable  to  weeds — sometliing 
linrsli,  iingeiiial,  sb.arp-toothed  that  is  akin  to 
tliem  ?  Uow  woody  and  rank  and  fibrous  many 
varieties  become,  lasting  the  whole  season,  and 
standing  np  stark  and  stiff  through  the  deep 
winter  snows — dessicated,  preserved  by  our  dry 
air !  Do  nettles  and  thistles  bite  so  sharply  in 
any  other  country  ?  To  know  how  sharply  they 
bite,  of  a  dry  August  or  September  day,  take  a 
turn  at  raking  and  binding  oats  with  a  sprinkling 
of  blind  nettles  in  them.  A  sprinkling  of  W"  s 
and  hornets  would  not  be  much  worse. 

*'  Yet  it  is  a  fact  that  all  our  more  pernicious 
weeds,  like  our  vermin,  are  of  Old  ^Yorld  origin. 
They  hold  up  their  heads  and  assert  themselves 
here,  and  take  their  fill  of  riot  and  licence ;  they 
are  avenged  for  their  long  years  of  repression  by 
the  stern  hand  of  European  agriculture.  Until  I 
searched  through  the  botanies  I  was  not  aware  to 
what  extent  we  were  indebted  to  Europe  for  those 
vegetable  Ishmaelites.  We  have  hardly  a  weed  we 
can  call  our  own  ;  I  recall  but  three  that  are  at  all 
noxious  or  troublesome,  viz. :  milk-weed,  rag- 
weed, and  golden-rod  :  but  who  Avould  miss  the 
latter  from  our  fields  and  highways  ? 

'Along  tlje  rnailiside,  like  the  flowers  of  gold 
Tiiiit  tawny  Iiicas  for  their  gjirdeiis  wroiigiit, 
Heavy  with  ><inishiue  droops  the  golden- rod,' 

sings  Whittior.  In  Europe  our  golden-rod  is 
cultivated  in  the  flower-gardens,  as  well  it  might 
be.  The  native  species  is  found  mainly  in  the 
woods,  and  is  much  less  showy  than  ours. 


»  ( 


ething 
kin    to 

many 
n,  and 
5  deep 
ur  dry 
rply  in 
ly  they 
take  a 
inkling 

W"       s 


■nicions 
origin, 
mselves 
3;  tliey 
;sion  by 
Until  I 
are  to 
r  those 
eed  we 
e  at  all 
rag- 
iss  the 


■rod  is 
might 
in  the 


I  Feeds  in  Norih  Auicriccu 


2S9 


"  Our  milk- weed  is  tenacious  of  life  ;  its  roots 
lie  deep,  as  if  to  got  away  from  tlio  plough,  but 
it  seldom  infests  cultivation  crops.  Then  its  stalk 
is  so  full  of  milk  and  its  pod  so  full  of  silk:  that 
one  cannot  but  ascribe  good  intentions  to  it,  if  it 
does  sometimes  overrun  the  meadow. 

'Ill  (lusty  pods  the  milk-wccJ 
Its  hiddeii  silk  has  spiiu.' 

sings  *  11.  11. '  in  her  '  September.* 

"Of  our  rao'-weed  not  much  can  be  set  down 
that  is  complimentary,  except  that  its  name  in  the 
botany  is  Ani.brn.m'a,  food  of  tlie  gods.  It  must 
be  the  food  of  the  gods  if  of  anything,  for,  so  f.u* 
as  I  have  observed,  nothing  terrestrial  cats  it,  not 
even  bill3\goats.  Asthmatic  people  dread  it,  and 
the  gardener  makes  short  work  of  it.  It  is  about 
the  only  one  of  our  weeds  that  follows  -the  plough 
and  the  harrow,  and  except  that  it  is  easily  de- 
stroyed I  would  suspect  it  to  be  an  immigrant 
from  the  Old  World.  Our  floabane  is  a  trouble- 
some weed  at  times,  but  good  husbandry  makes 
short  work  of  it. 

"  But  all  the  other  outlaws  of  the  farm  and 
garden  come  to  us  from  over  the  seas ;  and  what 
a  Ions:  list  it  is  :  — 


Tlie  conunon  tliistlo, 
Tlie  Canada  tlii>tlo, 
Tiurdock, 
AVild  carrot, 
Yl'IIow  dock, 
Ox-eye  daisy, 
Civiu()inii(% 
The  mullein. 


Eli'oatnpano, 

I'lantain, 

l^Iotlu'rwort, 

Siraiiiuiiiuia, 

('at  nip, 

Gill. 

Dino-weed, 

fc"liek-wto'i, 


U 


2QO 


It^ceds  m  North  America. 


if: 


IToand's-toiiifue, 
IleiibaiK', 
Pi<j;-\veo(l, 
Quit(!h  grass, 
IS'iglitsluule, 
Ihittcrciip, 
I)iiiulelion, 
81u']ilu.'i'(l's  purse, 
^Vild  mustard, 
St.  John's  wurt, 
Cliickweed, 
Purslane, 


]\rallow, 

I)aruel, 

]'(tis(»ii  liomlock, 

H'i[)  clover, 

Yarrow, 

"Wild  radisli, 

"Wild  parsnip, 

Cliicory, 

IJVL'-for-ever, 

Toad-ilax, 

Shecji-sorrel, 


and  otliers  less  noxious.  To  offset  this  list  we 
have  given  Europe  tlie  vilest  of  all  weeds,  a  parasite 
that  sucks  up  human  blood,  tobacco.  Now  if 
they  catch  the  Colorado  beetle  of  us,  it  will  p^o 
far  towards  paying  them  off"  for  the  rats  and  the 
mice,  and  for  other  pests  in  our  houses. 

"  The  most  attractive  and  pretty  of  the  British 
weeds,  as  the  common  daisy,  of  which  the  poets 
have  made  so  much,  larkspur,  which  is  a  pretty 
cornfield  weed,  and  the  scarlet  field-poppy  which 
flowers  all  siunmer,  and  is  so  taking  amid  the 
ripening  grain,  have  not  immigrated  to  our  shore. 
Like  a  certain  sweet  rusticity  and  charm  of 
European  rural  life,  they  do  not  thrive  readily 
under  our  skies.  Our  fieabane  {Erigo'on  Carta- 
dofsl,^)  has  become  a  connnon  roadside  weed  in 
England,  and  a  few  other  of  our  native  less 
known  ])lants  have  gained  a  foothold  iu  the  Old 
AVorld. 

"  Poke-weed  is  a  native  Anicrican,  and  what  a 
lusty,  royal  plant  it  is  !  It  never  invades  culti- 
vated fidd^".,  but  hovers    about  the  borders  and 


IVccds  in  North  America. 


291 


liore. 
of 

'(lua- 
(1  in 
loss 
Old 


looks  over  the  fences  like  a  painted  Indian  sachem. 
Thoreau  coveted  its  strong  pnr])le  stalks  for  a 
cane,  and.  the  robins  eat  its  dark  crinison-jiiiced 
berries. 

"  It  is  commonly  believed  that  the  mnllein  is 
indigenous  to  this  country,  for  have  we  not  heard 
that  it  is  cultivated  in  European  gardenj-^  and 
christened  the  American  velvet  plant.  Yet  it  too 
seems  to  have  come  over  with  the  pilgrims,  and 
is  most  abundant  in  the  older  parts  of  the  country. 
It  abounds  throughout  Europe  and  Asia,  and  had 
its  economic  uses  with  the  ancients.  The  Greeks 
made  lamp-wicks  of  its  dried  leaves,  and  the 
Komans  dipped  its  dried  stalk  in  tallow  for 
funeral  torches.  It  affects  dry  uplands  in  this 
country,  and  as  it  takes  two  years  to  mature,  it 
is  not  a  troublesome  weed  in  cultivated  crops. 
The  first  year  it  sits  low  upon  the  ground  in  its 
coarse  flannel  and  makes  ready ;  if  the  plough 
comes  along  now  its  career  is  ended ;  the  second 
season  it  starts  upward  its  tall  stalk,  which  in 
late  summer  is  thickly  sot  with  small  yellow 
flowers,  and  in  fall  is  charged  with  myriads  of 
fine  black  seeds.  *  As  full  as  a  dry  mullein  stalk 
of  seeds '  is  equivalent  to  saying,  '  as  numerous 
as  the  sands  upon  tlie  seashore.' 

"Perhaps  the  most  notable  thing  about  tho 
weeds  that  ha^•e  come  to  us  from  the  Old  World 
wdien  compared  with  our  native  species,  is  their 
persistence,  not  to  say  pugnacity.  They  fight 
for  the  soil;  they  plant  colonies  here  .and  tliere 
and  will  not  be  rooted   out.     Our  native  weeds 

u  2 


] 


1 


1 1 

i  Si 


i^ii4  :: 


^T  ■*'■   ''  ^ 


^a'^-] 

#i" 

'wHiii 

t^lH 

flHzl 

;|f '■  ■  f 

'  F' 

i«   1 

tw  ' 

;.  pi^,.     1 

»«£ ' 

|: : 

292 


IVceds  in  North  America, 


are  for  the  most  part  sliy  and  linrinloss,  and  ro- 
troat  before  cultivation,  but  the  European  outhiws 
follow  man  like  vermin ;  thoy  hanof  to  bis  coat 
skirts,  his  sheep  transport  them  in  their  wool,  and 
his  cow  and  horse  in  tail  and  mane.  As  1  have 
before  said,  it  is  as  with  the  rats  and  mice.  The 
American  rat  is  in  the  woods  and  is  rarely  ever 
seen  by  woodmen,  and  the  native  monse  barely 
hovers  njion  the  outskirts  of  civilization  ;  while 
the  Old  AVorld  species  defy  our  traps  and  our 
poison,  and  have  nsurped  the  land.  So  with  the 
weeds.  Take  the  thistles,  for  instance ;  the 
common  and  abundant  one  everywhere,  in  fields 
and  along  highways,  is  the  European  species, 
while  the  native  thistle  is  mnch  more  shy,  and  is 
not  at  all  troublesome ;  indeed,  I  am  not  certain 
that  T  have  ever  seen  it.  The  Canada  thistle,  too, 
which  came  to  us  by  way  of  Canada,  what  a  pest, 
what  a  usurper,  what  a  defier  of  the  plough  and 
harrow !  I  know  of  but  one  effectual  way  to 
treat  it;  to  put  on  a  pair  of  buckskin  gloves, 
and  pull  up  every  plant  that  shows  itself;  thi?> 
will  effect  a  radical  cure  in  two  summers.  Of 
course  the  plough  or  the  scythe,  if  not  allowed 
to  rest  more  than  a  month  at  a  time,  will  finally 
conquer  it. 

"  Or  take  the  common  St.  John's  wort  (Ilj/peri- 
cwm  ppyforatiim),  how  has  it  established  itself  in 
our  fields  and  become  a  most  pernicious  weed, 
very  difficult  to  extirpate,  while  the  native 
species    are    quite    rare,    and  seldom   or    never 


U  ccds  11 !  North  America. 


293 


;lnsv 
Of 
wed 
.ally 


m 
3cd, 
:ive 
ver 


inv.ide  cultivated  fields,  being  mostly  in  wet  and 
rocky  places.  Of  Old  World  origin,  too,  is  tho 
curled  leaf  dock  (Einucr.  Cri^puf^)  that  is  so 
annoying  about  one's  garden  and  home  meadows, 
its  lono;  taiierino*  root  clino-jno-  to  the  soil  with 
such  tenacity,  that  I  have  ]mlled  upon  it  till  I 
could  see  stars  without  budo-ino-  it :  it  has  more 
lives  than  a  cat,  making  ji  sliift  to  live  Avhen 
pulled  up  and  laid  on  top  of  the  ground  in  the 
burning  summer  sun.  Our  native  docks  are 
mostly  found  in  swamps,  or  near  them,  and  are 
harmless. 

"  Purslane,  commonly  called  '  pusley,*  and 
which  has  mven  rise  to  the  savino;  '  as  mean  as 
pusley ' — of  course  is  not  American.  A  good 
sample  of  our  native  purslane  is  the  Clay  tenia, 
or  spring  beauty,  a  shy,  delicate  plant,  that  opens 
its  rose-coloured  flowers  in  the  moist  sunny  places 
in  the  woods  or  aloTig  their  borders,  so  early  in 
the  season. 

"There  are  few  more  obnoxious  weeds  in  culti- 
vated ground  than  sheep-sorrel,  also  an  Old 
World  plant,  while  our  native  wood-sorrel,  with 
its  white,  delicately-veined  flowers,  or  the  variety 
with  yellow- flowers,  is  quite  harmless.  The  same 
is  true  of  the  mallow,  the  vetch,  or  tare  and  other 
plants. 

*'\Yeeds  have  this  virtue :  they  are  not  easily 
discouraged  ;  tliey  never  lose  heart  entirely  ;  they 
die  game.  If  they  cannot  have  the  best  they  will 
take  up  with  tho  poorest :  if  fortune  is  unkind  to 


It 


\m 


•P 


294 


//  ca/s  in  NortJi  America, 


tlicin  to-day,  tliey  hope  for  l)etter  luck  to-morrow ; 
if  tlioy  cannot  lord  it  over  a  corn-hill,  they  will 
sit  humbly  at  its  foot  and  accept  Avliat  comes; 
in  all  cases  they  make  the  most  of  their  oppor- 
tunities." 


ir 

I'll 


1^    < 

!: 

f 


Hkl!- 


^ 


'"/iStJOMW 


«!..-;^44i'fe,'*^  ^\i 


r 


i 


tMl mmatmn.hunM 


HNJUULl'IlMttSr.r 


80 


7» 


70 


«6 


60 


DOMINION    OF   CANADA. 

TO    illustrate:, 
EWFOUNDLAND    TO    MANITOBA. 

BY 

W.FRASER        ROE. 
NEW     V  O  R  K 

6.    P.    PUTNAM'S     SONS.ISai. 


P 


\ 


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A 


\ 


LBANV 


O) 


oV\ 


VltfU' 


>^ 


bftthbenL. 


:a 


!  wtL    R, 


Ui. 


L.tijoim 


BecuSfhaU  ' 


/ 


ST  LAW 


\\         m 

\\        AT  Hvf. 
MOlNTReAL 


!1«^         NEW 

BRUNSWICK  N$p.\      ^\-JSk 


\, 


\moost 

^  HUOL 


IKE 


CfUUIDTIMVEME 

crrv^ 


Jf^ 


\Albany 


'4M 


/ 


Aya^ 


...*' 


htm^Jf 


(inHand 


Beaduuf 


IPHIIAQ 


/\      ^^^^        ^ 

_;^:::*^^fibuh 

WASMINOTON^    \ 

\ 

nuto    ^^ 

'^^^ 

\    . 

85 

80 

75 

70 

f  i 


k 


PUL 


The  Round 

]Vcva<la,  Uta 

j       Agriculture, 

tnvo,  cloili. 

"This  is  really 

for  his  '  poinls  ui 

npon  them  in  an 

':  Icing  eiitcrlaiiKMl 

■  M'ortcslcr  Ihu'iy  . 

"  V\'e  have  rea; 
has  seen  tit  to  we: 
journeys  through 
hundred  and  thir 
out  of  the  In^aten 
'to  see  and  write 
understand,  than  ( 
in  Ins  preface,  '  lit 
For  this  ever}'  ri; 
'Commend  the  autt 
I — Lvcniit};  Post. 

"The  writer  is  w 
observations  \n  iht 
0.  wide  sale,  ah'uni 
(mend  its  perusal  " 

{  "A  journey  ol  ju 
inp.  Cai)tain  Cod 
He  has  a  keen  sen^ 
ikil!  \\\  catchuij^r  ;,, 
Literary   World. 

"Mr.  Codman  li 
I'.rormatiun  told  in 
iiid  eomnion-sense 

"  Hooks  of  travc 
ispeeially  when  w  i 
n  ])leaKant  and  ur 
iisiiiuuiiifif  style. "- 

"  A  narrative  of 
juthor  is  well  (piali 
'^aluablo  uifonnatic 
';ity   Tiiius. 

'  "  Ic  is  rare  to  fin 

Hlh  his  trained  |)ei 

avel."— /V//.v/'.vr_^' 


T 


rUBIJCAT/OXS  OF  C.  P.   PUTNAM'S  SONS. 

The   Round   Trip.     Ily   way   of    Panama    iIhoul;!!    Califinnia,    Oregon, 
Nevada,  Utali,  Idaho  and  Colorado,  with  Notes  on  Railroads,  (>)nir.Krce, 
1      Ajjriculture,    Mining,    Scenery  and  People.       15y   John    Codman.      Oc- 
tavo, cloth.     .  .  .         .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .      I   50 

1  "This  is  le.illy  an  uiiusually  entertaining  botiiv  of  travel,  for  the  author  lias  taken 
for  his  '|)oints  of  oljservatioii '  objects  and  thmgs  not  often  \vrittcn  up  and  enlarged 
Opon  them  in  an  unrestranied,  laniiliar  fasliion,  so  tliat  tiie  reader  feels  as  if  he  were 
feing  entcrlainod  by  letters  written  for  his  special  benelil  by  a  persona,  fricnii," — 
Worn-slcr  Daily  Spy. 

"  We  have  reason  to  congratulate  ourselves,  upon  tlie  fact  that  ("apt.  John  C^odman 
has  seen  lit  to  weave  into  literary  form  some  of  the  best  results  of  his  many  protracted 
journeys  through  the  great  \V'cst,  giving  tliciu  to  us  in  a  substantial  volume  of  three 
hundred  and  thirty-one  ['ages.  Tiie  author  has  made  It  his  special  province  to  go 
out  of  the  beaten  track  of  those  amusement  seekers  who  ci'.'l  themselves  tourists,  and 
to  see  and  write  rather  of  the  things  which  tourists  do  not  see  at  all,  or  seeing  do  not 
understand,  than  of  the  C(jnveiitioiial  'siglits'  of  the  A\'cstern  States.  .As  he  tells  us 
in  his  jireface,  '  little  is  said  ot  large  cities,  and  absolutely  nothing  of  the  Vosemite.' 
For  tins  every  reader  will  be  tlianklul,  and  the  omission  can  scarcely  fail  of  itself  to 
■commend  the  author's  judgment  and  eiihancj  the  reader's  good  opinion  of  the  book." 
I — Evening;  Post. 

"The  writer  is  a  keen  observer  and  possesses  the  pleasing  faculty  of  |ircsc-ntiiig  his 
(Observations  in  the  most  vivid  manner.  The  book  is  one  that  will  undoubtedly  attain 
a  wide  sale,  abounding  in  matter  of  the  most  inslructive  nature.  We  iieartily  recom- 
ttnend  itsjierusal  " — I'tKston  Jli\uon. 

"  A  journey  ot  great  interest  is  described  in  a  manner  most  instructive  and  entertain- 
ing. Captain  Codman  is  a  close  observer  of  men  and  things  and  a  (  apital  narrator. 
lie  has  a  keen  sense  of  humor,  a  ((uick  eye  for  i)icluresi|ue  objects  and  incidents,  great 
■.kill  111  catching  and  preserving  local  cliaractcrislics,  and  a  sensible  aiul  raiy  style." — 
'.iterary   World. 

\  "Mr.  Codman  has  written  a  remarkably  sensible  guide-book.  It  is  full  of  useful 
nfonnatioii  t<>ld  in  a  malter-of-facl  way.  Moral  courage  is  manifested  in  its  oiiinions, 
iiul  conuium-sense  in  its  collection  t>f  facts." — (.'///,, ixd   /'uiit'^. 

"  Mooks  of  tiavel  arc  always  interesting  when  tiiey  give  us  something  new,  but 
ispecially  when  written  in  a  pleasant  style.  *  4-  *  it  is  well  written,  and  aboumfS 
n  i)leasant  and  uni)leusant  incidents  and  experiences,  which  arc  toUl  in  a  racy  and 
iiscinating  style." — Herald  b'  I'rcsl>ytc>\  Chuiuiuiti. 

"  A  narrative  of  exceeding  interest  throughout,  ami  replete  with  in'  Iruction.      Tlie 
uthor  is  well  (pialified  for  liis  task,  and  this  book  has  nut  a  dull  page  in  it.     It  is  full  of 

I'aluabl'j  information,  and  is  written  in  a  graphic  and  higiily  pleasing  style."-  Kansas 

,'ity   'I'itHcs. 

"It  is  rare  to  find  a  vt)lum';  of  travel  in  this  country  so  rich  and  rare.     Tli  •  autl.or, 
krith  his  trained  pen  and  observant  eye,  has  grouped  together  a  cl, arming  pu  ti:ro  '^ 
avel."— /V//.i/'.v'i-;'    fvl.x'-'i/''- 


RECENT   BOOKS   OF  TRAVEL 


m 


\ 


A  Lady's  Life  in  the  Rocky  Mountains.  By  Isabella 
"Bird,  author  of  "Six  Months  in  the  Sandwich  Islands," 
"A  Ride  of  700  Miles  Through  Japan."  Second  edition, 
octavo,   illustrated,  ;j{i    75. 

"  Of  the  bold  dragoons  wlio  have  le'ccntly  figured  in  military  life,  bewitch- 
ing the  world  with  feats  of  noble  horsemansliip,  the  fair  Amazon  who  ides 
lil<e  a  Centaur  over  the  roughest  passes  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  will  cer- 
tainly bear  away  tlie  palm. — A'i'7ii  York  Tribune. 

The  Great  Fur  Land ;  or  Sketches  of  Life  in  the 
Hudson's  Bay  Territory.     By  H.  M.  Rohinson.     Second 

edition,  octavo,  illustrated,  %\   75. 

"  Mr.  Robinson's  narrative  oxhil)its  a  freshness  and  glow  of  delineation 
founded  on  a  certain  novelty  of  adventure  which  commands  the  attention  of 
the  reader,  and  makes  his  story  as  attractive  as  a  romance." — Nciv  York 
Tribune. 

The   Round  Trip,  by  way  of  Panama,  through  California, 

Oregon,  Nevada,  Utah,   Idaho,   and   Colorado,   with   notes  on 

Railroads,     Commerce,     Agriculture,    Mining,    Scenery,    and 

Pcoi)le.     By  JohxCodmax.      i2mo,  cloth,  %\  50. 

"  No  work  on  ralifornia  has  given  a  larger  amount  of  useful  information 
than  Captain  Co(hnan's,  and  none  has  (.'(luaied  his  in  raciaess  and  general 
readableness,      *     *     *" — Literary  World. 

Roman  Days.  By  ViK.roR  Rvdhero,  author  of  'The 
Last  Athenian.'  Translated  from  the  Swedish  by  A.  C.  Clark, 
■with  a  l]iographical  Sketch  of  the  Author,  by  Dr.  H.  A.  W. 
LiNDEHN.     8vo,  cloth  cxtra,  with  twelve  plates,  $j   00. 

"The  whole  work  bears  the  mark  of  individual  and  original  thought  and 
researcli,  and  is  fresh  and  rich  accordingly,  and  full  of  new  and  interesting 
information." — C/iica-'o  T)ibune. 

Studies  of  Paris.     By  Edmoxdo  de  Amicis,  author  of 
*' Constantinople,"  "Morocco,"  "Holland,"  etc. 
i6mo,  cloth,  ^i   25. 

"  A  marvel  of  intense,  rai)id,  grapliic  and  poetic  description,  l)y  one  of 
the  most  l)rilliant  of  mfxiern  Italian  authors.  Tlie  cliapters  on  Hugo  iml 
■T.ola  show  die  same  power  of  de^5criplion  and  analysis  in  dealing  with  mind 
Jiid  character." — Christian  Register 


G.  l\  Putnam's  Sons. 


New  York. 


Cool  and  Refreshing:!;  Reading  for  the  Summer  Season. 

THE  GREAT  FUR  LAND  ;  or  Sketches  of  Life 
in  the  Hudson's  Bay  Territory.  }jy  H.  M.  Rorinson, 
formerly  U.  S.  Assistant  Consul  in  Manitoba.  Witli  numerous 
Illustrations  by  Charles  Gasche.     8vo,  cloth  extra,  $1.75. 


A   SELECTION   FROM    THE   CONTENTS  : 

A  Journey  p.y  Dog-Seedge  ;  Canoe  Life  ;  The  Half- 
Breed  \'()ya(;euk  ;  The  Hudson's  Bay  Company  :  Life  in 
a  Company's  Fort  ;  A  Voy.\(;e  wiiii  the  Voyageuks  ;  The 
CiREAT  Faee  Hunts  ;  The  Fkateknei  y  of  Medicine  ;  Ths 
Di.ACKFEET  Indians  at  Home  ;  Winter  Travel  ;  The  Fur 
Hunter  ;  A  Winter  Cami'  ;  The  Frc^st  King  ;  A  Half- 
Bkeed  Bull  ;  A  Wood  Indian  "Trade." 

"Mr.  Roliinsoii  lias  aflmirably  succeeded  in  hitting  off  the  peculiar 
features  of  forest  life,  and  in  following  his  grapiiic  sketches  the  reader  is 
almost  made  to  feel  the  scent  of  the  odorous  woods,  and  the  breath  of 
refreshing  air  from  the  brec/.y  mountain-tops.  *  *  *  I'he  i-iarrative 
exhibits  a  freshness  and  glow  of  delineation,  founded  on  a  certain  novelty 
vf  adventure,  which  commands  the  attention  of  the  reader,  and  makes  hit 
st.ory  as  attractive  as  romance." — .\'.    Y.    Tribune. 

"The  Messrs  I'utnam  have  published  a  record  of  travel  and  experience 
in  the  far  North,  which,  bot'i  on  the  score  of  novelty  of  theme  and  liveli- 
ness of  treatment  may  l)e  called  one  of  the  mo.->t  attractive  volumes  of  the 
season.  *  *  *  Altogether,  the  author  has  given  us  a  book,  which, 
considering  the  nature  of  the  information  afibrded,  and  the  succinctness  and 
spirit  of  the  narrative,  is  captivating  and  unique." — .\^    V.  Sun. 

"  Mr.  Robinson's  book,  it  will  readily  be  seen  from  this,  is  both  an 
entertaining  and  instructive  one." — X.    V.  Herald. 

"  Journeys  by  dog-sledgc,  canoe  life,  the  appearance,  manners  and 
peculiarities  of  the  half-breed  population,  the  organization  of  the  IIudMJii's 
Bay  Comjiany,  the  great  buffalo  hunt,  trading  with  the  Indians,  canin  life 
and  some  other  characteristic  phases  of  Northwestern  experience  are  de- 
scribed in  a  graphic  and  detailed  style,  which  renders  the  book  very  epi»»r- 
taining  reading." — Boston    Traveller. 


r..   r.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 


NEW  YORK 


PUBLICATIONS   OF  G.  /'.   PUTNAM'S  SONS. 


UY   THE   AUTHOR   OF 


A    l.ADY  S    l.IKK    IN    TIIK    ROCKY    MOUNTAINS. 


I 


■ 


-:!l 


UNBEATEN  TRACKS  IN  JAPAN.       An    account    of    Travels    on 

Horseback  in  tlie  Interior,     liy  Lsauki.la   L.   Bird.     2  vols.     Svo. 

Illuslraticr.s  and  maps.  .  .  .  .  ,  ,  .     $5  CO 

"  Of  Miss  Hird's  fascinatiiip;  and  instrurtivc  volumes  it  is  impossible  to  speak 
in  terms  of  loo  lii^li  piaise.  Tinv  fully  luaintain  the  well-earned  reputation  ot  tiie 
author  of  '  Six  Munths  in  the  Sandwich  Islmds' and  '  A  Lady's  Lite  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains'  as  a  traveller  of  the  first  order  and  a  graphic  and  picturesnue  writer. 
The  title  she  has  chosen  for  her  nev  book  is  no  misnomer.  l"e\v  foreij^ners,  even  of 
the  stronger  sex,  woulil  liave  had  the  courage  .uid  i)erseverance  to  face  anil  surmount 
tlie  obstacles  which  a  frail  woman  in  ill  health,  accompanied  only  by  u  single  native 
servant,  encountered  in  her  cross-country  wanderings.  Hut  Miss  ({irdisaborn  travel- 
ler, fearless,  enthusiastic,  patient,  instructed,  knowing  as  well  what  as  how  to  describe. 
No  peril  daunts  her,  no  prospect  of  fatigue  or  discomfort  disheartens  or  repels  her," — 
Quarterly  Review,  October,  1880. 

"  Miss  Hird  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  travellers  of  our  day.  Penetrating 
into  regions  wholly  unknown  l.y  the  outside  world,  she  has  aeconiplisiicd,  by  the 
force  of  an  indomitable  will,  aided  by  ijreat  tact  and  shrewdness,  a  task  to  which  few 
men  would  have  been  found  equal;  !;nd  she  has  brought  away  from  the  scene  of  her 
researches  not  only  a  lively  tale  of  adventure,  but  a  great  store  of  fresh  and  intere--t- 
ing  inforniatiin  about  the  charactcv  and  habits  of  a  people  now  ufidergoing  one  of  the 
strangest  transformations  the  world  has  ever  seen.  We  doubt  whether  the  inner  life 
of  Japan  has  ever  been  better  descrdied  than  in  the  pregnant  pages  of  this  pertinacious 
Englishwoman." — X.  Y.  Daily  Irilnine. 

'•  Hevond  question,  the  most  valuable  and  the  most  interesting  of  recent  bnciks 
concerning  Japanese  travel.  *  +  *  one  of  the  most  prcjfitable  of  recent  travel 
records."— A'.    )'.   Evening  Post. 

"  One  of  the  most  readable  books  of  travel  of  the  day." — ^V.   )'.  Daiiy  Times. 

"  Miss  Hird  has  given  us  what  tt)-day  must  be  regarded  as  the  best  win  k  on 
Japan."— A'.  )'.  lU-rald. 

"  Hut  it  is  in  descriptions  of  men  and  manners  that  she  excels,  and  in  thc<;e  she 
is  so  excellent  that  in  no  other  bock  in  English  is  there  anything  like  so  vivid  a  picture 
as  she  gives  of  the  Japanese  people." — N.  )'.  World. 

"Her  graphic  power,  her  litnrary  skill,  and  surprising  freshness  of  material, 
especially  in  the  sucimd  volume,  make  this  book  one  of  the  very  best,  and  as  a  work 
of  travels  the  best,  in  the  library  of  books  relating  to  Japan." — liev.  \Vm.  E.  Gkiki  is, 
in  the  ..V.  )'.  Indipotdent. 

"  Her  narrative  is  one  of  intense  interest  *  *  *  forms  a  thoroughly  valuable 
and  desirable  addition  to  any  library  " — Congregationulist. 

"  Miss  Hird's  book  is  fascinating  throughout." — The  American,  Philadelphia. 

"  She  draws  out  the  story  of  the  homely,  everyday  life  iii  Japan  as  it  has  never 
before  Vieen  i)resented." — The  Kepublican,  Springlield,  Mass. 

"Japan  is  truly  a  wonderful  country  *  *  *  who  follows  Miss  Hird  in  its 
unbeaten  tracks  will  be  not  only  interested,  but  delighted  and  almost  er.'haiitcd. 
*  *  *  she  has  told  us  more  about  the  country,  its  history,  its  literature,  its  business, 
and  the  habits,  tlmutihts.  and  customs  of  the  people,  than  we  might  learn  from  fortv 
ordinary  books  on  Japan  *  *  *  a  remarkably  gond  book  *  *  *  it  is  brimful 
of  information,  much  of  which  has  never  cc.ne  under  our  eye  before."  —Aw/o//  Post. 

"  VVe  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  ui  all  the  books  of  Japanese  travels  which  we 
have  seen— and  we  have  seen  a  score  or  two— this  is,  without  (piestion,  the  best." 
— Louisville  Con rier-Journal. 

"  Among  the  works  of  travellers,  relating  to  this  country,  we  are  inclined  to 
rank  '  Unbeaten  Tracks  in  Japan  '  as  perhai)S  the  best.  *  *  *  In  all  respects  it  is 
a  sensible,  uselid  work."-   Troy  Daily  'Times. 

"  \  minute  account  of  the  interior  of  Japan.  *  ♦  *  on  nearly  every  page 
something  new  or  novel  is  set  forth.  *  *  *  This  record  of  life  in  the  interior  of 
Ja])an  is  the  freshest  and  most  satisfactory  of  any  which  has  yet  been  given  to  tlic 
public."— .S"«/»  T'rancisco  Evening  Bulletin, 


PUBLICATIONS  OF  G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS. 


A  NKW  VOLUME  1!Y  "JOHN  LATOUCHE." 

PORTUGAL,  OLD  AND  NEW.  By  Oswald  Cravvfurd,  British 
Consul  at  Oporto.  Octavo,  with  maps  and  illustrations,  cloth 
extra,  $3  50 

Mr.  Crawfurd,  whn  is  better  known  in  literature  under  his,  i,ciir  rlc  plume  of 
John  Latouche,  has  resided  for  mnny  years  in  Portugal  and  has  had  uxceptional  op- 
portunities for  hecominfi  thoroughly  aciiiiainted  with  Ihir  co>intry  and  its  people. 

"The  whole  book,  indeed,  is  excellent,  Riving  the  reader  not  information 
only,  but  apj)reciation  of  Portugal,  its  clinuite,  its  jjeojile  and  its  ways.  It  is  lu't  a 
book  of  travel,  but  a  book  of  residences,  if  we  may  say  so." — Xcw  1  'ork  K-r'ening  Po.^t. 

"  Mr.  Crawfurd's  admirable  book  is  most  opportune,  and  his  long  residence  in 
the  country.  Ins  intunale  and  critical  knowledge  of  the  language,  histcjry,  poetiy,  and 
the  inner  life  of  tlie  people,  render  him  an  aulhoritv  as  safe  to  follow  as  he  is  pleas- 
ant.    *     ♦     *     The  book  is  excellent  in  every  way."— .-J /'//<'«ri".7w. 

"  A  more  agreeable  account  of  Portujral  and  the  Portuguese  could  scarcely 
have  been  written,  and  it  will  surprise  ws  if  the  book  does  not  live  as  one  of  the  best 
descriptions  we  possess  of  u  toreign  nation." — 'it.  'J.iincs  Gazette, 


aluable 

lilphia. 
never 


d  in  its 
anted, 
siness, 
fortv 
rimfui 
Post. 

ieh  we 
best." 


ineil  to 
cts  it  is 

•y  page 
•rior  ot 
1  to  the 


A  FORBIDDEN  LAND  ;  OR,  VOYAGES  TO  THE  COREA. 

With  full  (lescri[)iion  of  the  nuinncrs,  cl!^;.)n^s,  history,  etc.,  of  a  com- 
munity of  some  16,000,000  people  hitherto  almost  entirely  unknown. 
By  Ernst  Oppert.     Octavo,  with  maps  and  illustrations,  $3  00 

"  The  author  combines  a  story  of  his  personal  adventures,  with  a  most  intel- 
ligible descrijuion  of  the  eountry,  its  inhabitants,  their  customs,  and  of  everytliin<^ 
which  would  help  his  readers  to  form  a  correct  iilea  of  what  he  himself  saw  and 
learneil." —  Ike  (  nut\h>iian. 

"  Sure  to  be  e.igerly  and  widclv  read  r-  *  *  contains  almost  the  only  au- 
thentic deseription  of  (}orea  and  its  |)co[)le  \\  itli  wliieh  the  public  are  familiar." — San 
Francisco  Bulletin. 

"  l'"ull  of  data  of  the  highest  value  on  the  gei>graphy  and  history  of  Corea,  its 
commercial  value  and  products." — Sc-.v  York  Jim  a. 

"  Mr.  Op[/ert  has  made  a  book  of  rare  interest." — A'e7v  i'ork  E-!'cning Post. 

"  His  personal  narrative  is  one  of  great  nitarest  *  ♦  *  lis  is  rewarded  for 
his  enterprise  in  beinn'  al)le  t  )  communicate  so  much  novel  and  valuable  information 
in  regard  to  a  country  which  has  sj  long  romaiueu  beyond  the  scope  of  geographical 
research."— -W.f  York  J'riOnu.'. 

ROMAN     DAYS.       P.y    Vikior     RYnntRC.       Translated    by   Alkkkd 

CoKNiN(;  Clark,  witli  Memoir  of  the  author  by  II.  A.  W.  Lindkiix. 

Octavo,  cloth.      Illustrated    .  .  .  .  .         .  .     $2  00 

The  volume  embodies  the  results  of  careful  historical  studies,  and  gives  some 
legendar\'  matters  not  lurctolore  brouglit  forw;ird.  The  art  criticisms  are  the  work 
of  a  poet  and  scholar  ;  the  brief  historical  u;;  !  t  •|iv7raphical  sketches,  those  of  a  dear-- 
headed  iihiloso|)her  and  ea),er  traveller,  a  (piick  obsi-rver,  a  man  of  gi'uer.d  and  ihoi- 
ough  culture.  The  book  is  a  picturt'stpie  mosai';  of  the  man\-  brilliant,  sober,  gav, 
comic,  dramatic,  tragic,  pietic,  vulgar  eK'nietUs  ti  at  make  up  the  i)ast  history  of  that 
wonderful  city  and  the  r/livsiognomy  it  bears  to-diiy. 

"  We  welcome  this  work  from  the  hard-  North  for  its  broail  S'hoiarship,  its 
freshness  and  ripeness.  Tlie  articles  beliav  an  urtisiic  distrimmation  rare  in  one  not 
a  sculptor  bv  prr/fession  and  experienceil  ami  enthusiastic  in  that  art.  k\dberu;  pos- 
sesses tlje  pure  plastic  spirit."— A.  ]'.  Herald. 


PUBLICATIONS  OF  G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS. 


A   Ni:\V    liOOK    HY    THK    AUTHOR    OF    "  CONSTANTINOPLE. 


HOLLAND  AND  ITS  PEOPLE. 

of  "  Constantinople,"  "  Stutlies  of 
Ojitavo.      With  1 8  full-page  plates, 


r.y  Edmundo  pe  Amicis,  author 

Palis,"  "  iMorocco,"  "  Spain,"  etc. 

S2  oo 


In  this  volume  of  which  editions  are  appearinp:  at  once  in  Florence,  Paris, 
London  and  \e\v  \'ork,  the  brilliant  autiior  of  "  I'aris"  and  "Constantinople"  has 
turned  his  stci)S  uS  a  laiul  aboiiiuling  in  pit'turesque  effoits  and  wiiose  history  is  full  of 
draniatit:  interest,  and  his  viviil  descriptions  of  the  I  lollanders  and  tlieir  luunes  show 
that  his  pen  lias  lost  none  of  its  elotpience  or  delicai  y  of  touch.  His  analysis  of  the 
traits  and  ciiaractcrisiics  of  this  stiirdr  race,  which  has  played  so  important  a  part  in/ 
the  history  of  Europe,  is  most,  interesting  and  valuable. 

"  In  descriptive  passages,  Signor  Amicis  is  at  home.  A  wealth  of  imagery 
flows  from  his  pen  and  lightens  the  pages  into  jirosc  poems.  He  has  a  cpiiet  humor  of 
the  Latin  type,  a  disnosition  to  be  amused:  l)ut  lie  is  quick  to  symi)atlii/.e  with  the 
emotions  of  his  Uutcli  friends,  and  if  he  smiles  at  their  stolidity,  admires  the  rugged 
cpialities  and  native  genius  which  have  produced  a  ^VilliaIn  of  Orange,  a  John  De  Witt, 
a  Uarricvekl,  and  a  !\t  inbraiu'*.."  —/i'ps/hk  T>  aTrlicr. 

"  Edmundo  de  Aii  lIs  i  transformed  tiieland  ofdvkesinto  a  land  of  beauty> 
of  w(mdcr,  and  of  ench.uiimei;..  He  has  wruteii,  in  aworil,  a  book  in  every  sense 
charming. ' ' — Cli icngo  Times. 

"  It  is  only  sim;  !e  justice  to  say  that  a  more  delightful  volume  of  travel* 
hardly  may  be  fwund."— fA/A;  ■■  't>hia       '.   's. 

"  1  lis  sparkling,  graphic  nook  'S  a  thoroughly  charming  one,  to  which  we  givff 
the  most  unaffected  i)raise." — Louisville  Courier-Journal. 


BY    THK    SA.ME   AUTHOR, 


\\ 


'    i 


■■'I 


i 


r  ' 


CONSTANTINOPLE. 


cloth 


"  The  most  picturescpie  and  entertaining  volume  contained  in  the  recent  litera^ 
ture  on  the  Eastern  question." — Boston  Journal. 

"  A  remarkable  work      *      ♦      *      the  author  is 
worker  in  words    *     *    *    his  descriptions  are  givei 
Post. 


\  po<>t,  an  artist,  a  wonder- 
with  rare  skill,"— iV.  V.  Evening 


STUDIES  OF  PARIS.     By  Edmundo   dk  Amicis,  author  of  "Con- 
j  stantinople,"  "  Morocco,"  "Hollaiul,"  etc.     i2ino,  cloth  extra,  $l   25 

A  series  of  wonderfully  vivid  and  dramatic  pictures  of  the  great  world's  me- 
tropolis, by  a  writer  whose  previous  bt)oks  have  gaincii  a  reputation  for  exceptional 
clearness  of  percci)tion  and  facilil-  in  description.  There  is  hardlv  a  writer  who  can 
rival  him  in  his  power  of  reproducing  for  his  readers  the  verv  atmosphere  of  the  place 
he  describes.  These  "Studies"  include  original  and  charact.ristic  luipers  on  the  two 
authors  whom  he  ccmsiders  especially  representative  of  the  Paris  of  to-day— Hugo  and 
Zola. 

"  I'oet  in  prose,  painter  in  phrases,  su!>tle  musician  in  the  hirmonies  of  lan- 
guage, de  Auicis  has  coinpreliemled  the  manifold  ama/einent,  the  [jotent  charm  of 
Paris  as  no  writ"r  before  hiiu  has  done."— /',i)7/,(;/r/  /'re^s. 

"  A  marvel  of  intense,  rapid,  gr.iphic  and  poetic  description,  bv  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  ot  modern  I  talian  \s  riters.  The  (  hapters  on  Hugo  and  Zida  show  the  same 
power  of  description  and  analysis  in  dealing  with  mind  and  character."— tV/r/f/zij;* 
Kegisttr. 


I'    i 


^ 


